Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-20
NUMBER 1O6.
The Birds OF spring.
by wAsnrsoros IRVING.

/ n
My quiet residence in the country, aloof from
fashion, politics. and the money market leaves me
rather at loss for occupation, and drives me oc-
casionally TO the study of nature, and other low
pursuits. Having few neighbors, on whom to
keep watch and exercise my habits Of observa-
ton, !, fain to anuse myself with prying into the
domestic concerns and peculiarities Of the animals
around me and, during the present season. have
derived considerable entertainment from certain
soeiaple little birds, almost tho only visiters wo
have, during this early part Of the year
| Ihose VINO have passed the winter In the coun-
try are sensible of the delightful Influences that
accompany the earliest indications Of spring and
OF tnese. none are more delightful than tue first
notes of the birds. There is one modest little sad
coored bird, much resembling wren, which came
about the house just on the skirts of winter when
not blade OF grass was to be seen, and when 4
few prematurely warm days had given Aattering
foretaste OF soft weather. He sang early IN the
aaWning long before sunrise, and late in the even
ing, Just before the closing in of night. his matin
and his yesper hymns. It is true, be sang occe
sionally throughout the day; but at these still
hours, his song was more remarked He sat on 4
leafess tree, just before the window. and warbIed
forth his notes, few and simple, but singularIv
| sweet, with something Of plaintive tone, that
heightened their effect f'a
The first morning that he was heard was a iov-
ous one among the young folks Of my household
Inc long, death-llke sleep of winter was at an end.
nature was once more awakening; they now nron,
lsed themselves the immediate appearance 81 bnda
ana blossoms. | was reminded Of the tempest
tossed crew OF Columbus, when, after their long
dubious voyage, the feld-birds came singing ronnS
the ship though still far at sea, reioiclne tbcm
wltn the belief OF the immediate proximity Of land
A sharp return of winter almost senced nv B,,I,s
songster, and dashed the hlarity Of the household
YET sun ne poured forth, now and then, few plain
M uye noaes pesween the frosty ppings Of the breeze
nA9 Seais a " sunshine between wintry clouds.
have consulted my books of orntholopv n
yam, to ind out the name of this kindly little bird
VINO certainly deserves honor and favor far bevopJ
ms modest pretensions. He comes ike The Iou,I,,
violet, the most unpretending, but welcomest cr
nowefs' breathing the sweet promises Of the early
Another of our feathered yisiters wbo ro1ows
close upon the steps of winter is the Pew;t orpa,
,h,r,or fhobe-bird, for he is called nv zach .
sannd nfes, If from fancied resemblance to ~
heno and .aaonotonous note. He Il social Iit,Ie
them have hnls the habitation of men. a pair If
several broods thesea eseath my porch and have reared
never being disturbed INV, Two years past, their nest
spring. just when the croceeey arrive early in tie
to peep forth. Their first h9n-fn,oTsdrop begin
Is heard on all sides. They atc welcomed back like
members Of tho family. and speculations are made
upon where they have been during their long ab-
sence Their arrival is the more cheering as II is
announced by the old weather wise people Of the
country the sure sign that the severe frosts al at
an end, and that the gardener may resume his la
bors with confidence. L f.t N
About this time too, arrives the Bluebird so
poetically yet truly described by Wilson, His Hp-
pearance gladdens the whole landscape. He soci-
ably approaches your habitation, and takes up his
residence in your vicinity.
! The happiest bird of our spring, however aud
one that rivals the European lark in my estimation,
is the Boblncoln, or Boblink, as he Is commonly
| called. He arrives at that choice portion of our
year, which, in this latitude answers to the de-
scription of the month of May so often given by
the poets. With us it begins about the middle Of
May, and lasts until hearty the middle OF June.
Earlier than this winter is apt to return on its
traces, and 10 blight the opening beauties Of the
year and later than this begin the parching, and
painting, and dissolying heats Of summer. But in
this genial interval nature is in all her freshness
and fragrance. "The rains are over and gol Q,
the flowers appear upon the earth, the time ofsngng
of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is
heard in the land" The trees are now in their full
lest foliage and brightest verdurei the woods arc
| gay with the clustered flowers Of the laurel tho
| air Is perfumcd by the sweet briar and the wild
rose the meadows are enamelled with clover bios
sons while the young apple, the peach, and the
| plum begin to swell, and the cherry to glow among
the green leaves.
This is the chosen season of revclry Of the Bob
link. He comes amidst the pomp and fragrance Of
| the season his life seems all sensiblity and en-
joyment, all song and sunshine. lie is to be found
in the soft bosoms Of the freshest and sweetest
meadows, and is most in song when the clover Is
in blossom. He perches on the topmost twig of
tree, or on some long Haunting weed and, as he
rises and sinks with the breeze, pours forth sue
ccssion Of rich twinklng notes, crowding one upon
another like the outpouring melody Of the skylark,
and possessing the same rapturous character.
Sometimes he pitches from the summit Of tree,
begins his song as soon as he gets upon the wing,
and futters tremulously down to the EARTH as IL
overcome with ecstacy at his own music. Some
times he Is in pursuit Of lAs paramour, always In
full song, as If he would win her by his melody,
and always with the same appearance Of fintoxica-
ton and delight. t&
OF all the birds Of our groves and meadows, The
Boblink was the envy of my boyhood. He crossed
my path in the sweetest weather, and sweetest
season of the year when all nature called to tho
fields, and the rural feelings throbbed in every
bosom; but when T. luclless urchin was doomed
TO be mewed up during The livelong day, in that
purgatory Of boyhood, school-toom, il seemed IL
the varlet mocked at me, as he flew by in full song,
and sought to taunt me with bis happy lot oh,
how enyied him No lessons, no task, no hateful
school, nothing but holiday, oc, green fields, and
fine weather. Had I then been more vcrsed in
poetry, / might have addressed him in the words
of Logan TO the cuckoo
Sweet bird thy bower is ever green, :
Thy sky is ever clear;
Thou hast sorrow in thy NOTE hn
No winter in thy year.
Oil could fly, I'd fly with thee;
Wed make on joyful wing,
Our annual visits round the globe
Companions Of the Spring.
Further observation aud experience have given
me different idea Of this little feathered voluptu-
airy, which win venture TO mpart, for the benefit
of my school boy readers who may regard him with
the same unqualified envy and admiration which
once indulged. | have shown him only as saw
him frst in what may call the poetical part Of his
career when he in manner devoted himself TO
elegant pursuits and epoyments, and was bird
Of music and song, and taste, and sensibility and
refinement. While this lasted he was sacred from
injury the very school-boy would no: fling stone
at him. and the mcrest rustic would pause to listen
to his strain. But mark the difference. As the year
advances, as the clover blossoms disappear, and