THE BIRDS OF SPRING. 143 
Green, the Chestnut-sided, the Bay-breasted, the Yellow 
Red-poll, the Black-poll, the Nashville, the Cape May, 
the Golden-crowned, the Orange-crowned, the Blackburn- 
ian, the Golden-winged, the Spotted Canada, the Red- 
start, etc., some of them scarce, but most abundant for a 
brief period in May,—are suggestive of all that is beauti- 
ful in birds: gay plumage, useful habits, and sweet warb- 
ling notes. 
Among the more common and well known later emi- 
grants, we welcome the Bobolink to our meadows, which 
he alone would render attractive. Brimful of animal 
spirits, he gaily fiddles away all the day long, perched on 
some tree or fence in his favorite bogs and meadows, or 
indulges in coquettish gambols in the air, meeting us in 
our walks as we approach his grounds with a eputident 
outburst of tinkling drollery, so varied and fanciful we 
half imagine it to represent personal allusions of either 
flattery or derision. We welcome the gorgeously colored 
Oriole, and the chaste-robed Vireo to the orchard, where 
the loud trumpet notes of the former, and the soft, sooth- 
ing warble of the latter, render them as agreeable as their 
services are valuable to the fruit-grower. We also welcome 
the Red Mavis, or Brown Thrush, to the hedges, the clear- 
voiced Veery to the swamps and moister woodlands, the 
twittering swallows to their homes under the eaves and in 
the barn lofts. | Not least valued by lovers of the pictu- 
resque is the Whippoorwill, which, from the roof, the well- 
curb, the door-yard fence, or the remoter precincts of 
the woods, is heard during morning and evening twilight, 
or at intervals throughout the moonlit night. 
During the spring months we have with us nearly every 
species of bird that ever visits us .during the entire year, 
embracing of course all the resident kinds, as well as all 
the migratory, except a few transient winter visitors ; 
