SONG SPARROW. 



153 



The RouFous-CROWNED Sparrow, Peucsea ra£ceps Cass., inhabits the coast of 

 California, but seems nowhere common. Its variety, Boucard's Sparrow, P. ruGceps 

 boucardi Ridgw., occurs in southern New Mexico and Arizona. The Rock Sparrow, 

 P. ru^ceps eremceca Brown, another variety, is found in south-western Texas, south 

 into Mexico. The Rufods-winged Sparrow, P. carpalis CouES, is found in Arizona, 

 while the Mexican Sparrow, P. mexicana Ridgw., is a bird of the valley of the lower 

 Rio Grande, south into central and western Mexico. 



SONG SPARROW, 



Melospiza fasciata Scott. 



Plate V. Fig. 7. 



Joy fills the vale : 

 With joy ecstatic quivers every wing. 

 As floats thy note tipon the genial gale, 



Sweet bird of spring! 



The violet 

 Awakens at thy song, and peers from out 

 Its fragrant nook, as if the season yet 



Remained in doubt; 



_ While from the rock 

 The columbine its crimson bell suspends. 

 That careless vibrates, as its slender stalk 

 The zephyr bends. 



Say! when the blast 

 Of winter swept our whitened plains — what clime. 

 What summer realms thou charmedst, and how was past 



The joyous time ? 



Did the green isles 

 Detain thee long? or, 'mid the palmy groves 

 Of the bright south, where Nature ever smiles. 



Didst sing thy loves ? 



Oh, well I know 

 Why thon art here thus soon, and why the bowers 

 So near the sun have lesser charms than now 



Our land of flowers: 



Thou art returned 

 On a glad errand — to rebuild thy nest, 

 And fan anew the gentle fire that burned 



Within thy breast! , 



And thy wild strain, 

 Poured on the gale, is love's transporting voice — 

 That, calling on the plumy choir again. 



Bids them rejoice. 



Nor calls alone 

 To enjoy, but bids improve the fleeting hour — 

 Bids all that ever heard love's witching tone. 



Or felt his power. 



The poet, too. 

 It soft invokes to touch the trembling wire; 

 Yet ah! how few its sounds shall list, how few 



His song admire ! 



But thy sweet lay, 

 Thou darling of the spring! no ear disdains: 

 Thy sage instructress. Nature, says, "Be gay !" 



And prompts thy strains. 



Oh. if I knew 

 Like thee to sing— like thee the heart to fire — 

 Youth should enchanted throng, and beauty sue 



To hear my lyre. 



Oft as the year 

 In gloom is wrapped, thy exile I shall mourn - 

 Oft as the spring returns, shall hail sincere 



Thy glad return. 



H. Pickering. 



^<^F THE beauty and poetry of spring time little notice is taken in the large cities. 

 ^^ The seasons come and go without making any deep impression on mind and 

 soul of most people. But how different is this in the realms of Nature! The inhabit- 

 ants of our crowded cities can hardly have an idea of the pleasure and manifold enjoy- 

 ment which the true friend of Nature finds in the country at all seasons of the year, 



even in midwinter, when ice and snow covers the ground. In early spring it is Nature's 



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