A FORWARD MARCH. 1 3 



defined against the black. Do the sexes fly in 

 separate flocks while on their southern wander- 

 ing.' Probably they do not. When the migra- 

 tory impulse northward is felt, the males, which I 

 believe are permanently mated — the older ones, at 

 least — have a day when they leave their spouses 

 and perhaps the younger males behind. If so, 

 how curious is this habit of holding conventions 

 near the time of their departure, agreeing to meet 

 again in certain localities hundreds of miles to the 

 north ! 



Looking over this swamp, where the red-wings 

 are singing, I imagine what wonders the sun will 

 work in it, during the coming months. What 

 beautiful color he will paint it with his pencils 

 of light, and what miracles he will perform, in 

 resurrecting from egg and pupa and hibernacles, 

 insects and reptiles, now lying dumb and qui- 

 escent within their tombs. These brown cat-tail 

 stems are like thousands of distaffs standing 

 uprightly along the reedy plain. The tow that 

 was tied to them last Summer is ravelled out by 

 the Spring breezes, and appears like bits of wool 

 on sheep that feed in scrubby pastures. How 

 prolific are these plants ! It would be an almost 

 endless task to count the fruit, grown on a single 

 head. One is interested in seeing how abundantly 

 Nature has provided the means by which the 

 seeds are dispersed. I count twenty-five plumous 



