APRIL AWAKENING. 33 



bow, into the snaggy shrub that threw out its 

 numerous pointed wooden spikes above him in 

 all directions, like a Cheval-de-frise. The white 

 throats, song sparrows and bay-wings, although 

 frightened and screaming with all their might, 

 were too cunning this time for the artful robber, 

 who flew away directly, as if ashamed of his blun- 

 ders and disgusted with his calling in life. Prob- 

 ably he hact fallen in with these finches while 

 migrating, and followed them northward, taking 

 every opportunity to waylay them and practice 

 his rapacious tricks in the clumps and thickets 

 along the route. 



How he managed to save those long wings and 

 come out of the dense bush barricade with a 

 whole skin, remains a mystery to me. Nature has 

 given him this- facility of flight, as she has to 

 many other birds that are often seen playing 

 games of tag in the woods, and that zigzag here 

 and there through the interstices of the thick 

 undergrowth with marvelous rapidity. Quickness 

 of ^ight and dexterity of wing are required 

 to clear the thousand obstructions that grow in 

 their pathway ; yet there are times, no doubt, 

 when accidents occur, and their gambols end in 

 disaster. 



April has no fresher or more invigorating 

 sounds than the clear, ringing laughter of the 

 northward flying wild geese. It is the tonic or 



