66 
RURAL HOURS. 
and healthy, they probably attain to the age of the elm, or ash, 
&c., &c., but we have never heard any accurate calculations on 
the subject. 
Tuesday, ^th . — The lake very beautiful ; there is often, at this 
time of the year, a delicacy and softness in the waters, produced, 
no doubt, by the atmosphere of a still spring day, which is in 
beautiful hannony with the season. 
A pleasant hour toward evening, pacmg to and fro under a 
mild, cloudy sky, near the bridge ; the birds seem to have col- 
lected there for our especial amusement, but in reahty, were at- 
tracted, no doubt, by some insects from the water; it was a 
greater gathering than we have seen this spiing, and several 
among the party were of more interest than usual. Swallows by 
scores, chimney, barn, and white-bellied, were sailing about us in 
ceaseless motion, now passing above, now below the bridge, often 
so near that we might almost have touched them. A Pheebe- 
bird sat quietly on a maple branch within a stone’s throw, giving 
us a song ever and anon, as we passed up and down ; they have 
a trick of sitting in that way on the same twig, at no great dis- 
tance from then* nest, and they are much given to build about 
bridges. Robins were there, of course, they are never out of 
sight at this season ; sparrows were stealing in and out of the 
bushes, while goldfinches and blue-birds were coming and going. 
But these were all familiar ; it was a couple of little birds flut- 
tering about the blossoms of a red maple, that chiefly attracted 
our attention, from their novelty ; their yellow, and red, and brown 
markings, and peculiar quick, restless movements among the 
branches, were new to us. Tliey were half an hour in sight, and 
several times we stood very near the maples where they were 
