A FORWARD MARCH. 1 7 



ment, so soon after their resuscitation, and yet 

 how vigorous, nimble and. full of life they are! 

 What prevented these delicate creatures from 

 freezing outright, during the cold winter days? 

 The frosts, when the ground is bare, must have 

 easily invaded their slight hibernacles, yet in some 

 mysterious way the small spark of life within the 

 dorsal vessel or heart must be always glowing. 

 CaterjDillars, grasshoppers and spiders are quite 

 often seen moving about even in the mild winter 

 weather, showing how quickly the sun's rays pene- 

 trate their lodgings and stir their vital embers 

 into flame. 



This is also a real field and gala day with the 

 crows. Over the high hill yonder, a large flock 

 of them are holding a kind of love-making carousal 

 and jollification. Such queer, magpie-ish actions, 

 such aerial gymnastics and lofty tumbling, afford 

 a genuine entertainment. How their black backs 

 glisten in the sunlight, as they shear and curve in 

 the air ! With hanging legs they hover over the 

 cedars, and in the very spirit of fun, try to light 

 on the tip of the slender main sprigs, which under 

 their weight bend over in the shape of bows ; yet 

 they cling to them for a moment and flap their 

 wings, or extend them as artists sometimes rep- 

 resent "the spread eagles" on flags and armorial 

 bearings ; then they all take flight again and 

 play "tag" in the air, amidst a general chorus 



