GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS 413 



unless he started when I did. I believe it. is only an 

 easterly wind or storm brings him up. 



March 21, 1853. Morning along the river. 



The air full of song sparrows, — swedit swedit swedit 

 and then a rapid jingle or trill, holding up its head with- 

 out fear of me, the innocent, humble bird, or one pur- 

 suing another through the alders by the waterside. Why 

 are the early birds found most along the water ? These 

 song sparrows are now first heard commonly. The black- 

 birds, too, create some melody. And the bluebirds, how 

 sweet their warble in the soft air, heard over the water ! 

 The robin is heard further off, and seen flying rapidly, 

 hurriedly through the orchard. And now the elms sud- 

 denly ring with the chill-lill-lill and canary-like notes of 

 the Fringilla hyemalis, which fill the air more than 

 those of any bird yet, — a little strange they sound be- 

 cause they do not tarry to breed with us, — a ringing 

 sound. 



March 22, 1853. Already I hear from the railroad 

 the plaintive strain of a lark or two. They sit now 

 conspicuous on the bare russet ground. The tinkling 

 bubbles of tlje song sparrow are wafted from distant 

 fence-posts, — little rills of song that begin to flow and 

 tinkle as soon as the frost is out of the ground. The 

 blackbird tries to sing, as it were with a bone in his 

 throat, or to whistle and sing at once. Whither so fast, 

 the restless creature, — chuck, chuck, at every rod, and 

 now and then whistle-ter-ee ? The chill-lill of the blue 

 snowbirds is heard again. A partridge goes off on 

 Fair Haven Hill-side with a sudden whir like the wad 

 of a six-pounder, keeping just level with the tops 



