— 502 — 



love-ditty from sunrise to sunset ? I was watching 

 eagerly, this spring, for the return from the South of 

 the Sweet, Sweet Canada bird, the white-throated 

 Sparrow, whose clear, shrill clarion resounds eve'n in 

 the depth of night ! Will he accompany this spring 

 his congener, the Song Sparrow, the Rossignol, with its 

 simple, soft melody, so dear to every Canadian heart ? 



Have any of you ever noticed the Eedstart darting, 

 like an arrow, after the small flies, then relighting on 

 the twig, uttering his shrill increasing note, very 

 similar to that of the pretty summer- Yellow bird, also 

 one of the fly-catchers, as you are aware ; a family 

 most numerous, and if not generally gifted with song, 

 at least rejoicing in a very bright livery. The Eedstart, the 

 male bird, is easily known by his black plumage ; when 

 he is flying, he discloses the under portions of his wings, 

 which appear of bright maize. The female is more of an 

 olive hue, and does not resemble at all her mate : they 

 breed all round Montreal and Quebec, and stop here 

 about three months. It is needless for me to furnish 

 you with a very lengthy description of the Blue Jay : 

 you are all acquainted with his cerulean plumage and 

 harsh note, especially before rain. 



I must not, however, forget to point out to you that 

 richly-dressed individual, wearing black and orange 

 badges : that is the Baltimore Oriole. He visits chiefly 

 the Montreal district and Western Canada. Black and 

 orange, did I say ? why that was the official livery of a 

 great English landowner of Maryland, in the days when 

 democracy amongst our neighbours was not. We have 

 it on the authority of Alexander Wilson, no mean 

 authority, as you know, that this brilliant July visitor 

 took its name from Lord Baltimore, on whose estates a 

 great number of Orioles were to be seen. The Baltimore 

 Oriole is a tolerably good musician. You can see how 

 brilliant are the colors of these Canada birds now exhi- 

 bited to you ! 



