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426 RETURN OF SPRING. 
the homestead birds,—the Robin, Wren, and 
Hedge-sparrow, and to these are at times added 
those of the Blackbird and Thrush. When evening 
approaches, the hedge scent is more obvious, for 
now the evaporations of the day which had lain in 
a medium above us, begin to descend by their 
condensation and weight, and bring with them the 
odoriferous particles previously carried up by the 
evaporated or steamed wet so abundantly accumu- 
lated every where. These things are among the 
first proofs of returning spring. 
The month of March brings us acquainted with 
other developments of vegetation still more pleasing 
from their varied characters. The Lentlily blooms 
abundantly in orchards and sheltered hedges, the 
coltsfoot expands its yellow petals amid the sods 
of the ploughed lands, the alder is decorated with 
its pretty catkins, the elder puts forth its terminal 
leaves, the sallow its decorations of yellow heads, and 
all the plants which opened their flowers in February 
(save the snow-drop) are now in still gaudier trim,— 
these in connexion with certain additional cheerful 
notes of birds which the woods afford us, render a 
walk inthe meadows and plantations very agreeable, 
and productive of pleasing meditations. In wooded 
districts, a survey of the country from the summit of 
some hill, displays to us the first efforts at budding 
by the oak, lime, and elm, their tops having acquired 
a beautiful brown tint from the vast number of little 
bulbs at the extremities of the branches. The plane 
trees afford now a curious sight from the shedding 
of their barks in small flakes ; the inner bark is of 
a fine yellow colour, so that the boles of these trees 
wear a blotched appearance. Rooks commence 
their noisy operation of nest-building. Goldfinches 
still in flock, join in a low song while congregated 
on some tree or hedge. Missel Thrushes pair. Bull- 
Jinches attack the buds of the gooseberry, pear, &c. 
