The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-04-06
The Birds of spring-Thsir Uses.

Aler long and cold winter nothing is
more pleasant than The voices Of the birds
upon aspiring morning. Two or three times,
within Zen days, they have made the mir
vocal with their sweet noies. and we could
somewhat appreciate the words Of the old
writer =" The rains are over and gone, the
flowers appear upon the earth, the time of
singing OF birds has come, and the voice OF
The turtle is heard in The land" Not quite
all that could we say for the remarks are
applicable 10 more southern latitude, and
a later period Of the year than this yet
gladly could we welcome the songs Of The
birds. and their appearance, rs foretelling
The near approach Of the vordant foliage,
the opon buds, and the fragrant flowers -
that the winter was past seemed in all their
voices. The mariner upon long voyage
finding the field birds around his ship,
knows that the distance is nearly travelled
and the land near - so does the first appear.
ance of the blue-bird and the robin Tell that
summer is at hand.
There is no part Of the world supplied
with moro beautiful or sweeter songsters
than New England and before they were
destroyed and driven away, in our siupidi'
lty and vandalism, we were better supplied
than now. But il seems TO be part Of ouI
nature since Its destructive has been SO
much cultivated in past generations, who
went 10 the fields and even churches gun il
hand, and ever ready 10 shoot the savage
man or the savage beast - 10 war upon the
seful and the beautiful that nature sup
plies. Thus while we import birds from
all quarters Of the globe and from the is
lands Of the seas, those that we destroy o.
home are equal, and in most instances su
perior 10 those of other climes. g.
Usually our first visitor in Spring is the
blue. bird and then comes the robin though
this year the robin was the first we saw
and afterwards, rs the season progresses
comes a variety, among which the boba
link ranks perhaps first. His music is
perfect gush Of melody that rapiures him
self, rs he flu,iers from twig 10 twig, ant
enraplures all who hear. And the more
may We value this bird, because for III
alone is no beautiful, and for us only doe,
he sing. As the year advances, lie chang.
es his color, loses the rich melody Of his
voice, and emigraies 10 the South, where he
serves the table rather than The ear. His
very name is changed. On The Delaware
he is the fat little Reed.bird and in the
Carolina rice swamps the Rice.bird. But
from the frs, 10 The last - from The highest
to The lowest, they afford beauty and pleas.
IRE without cost or injury, for not one Of
them is there even 10 the blackbird, the
crow and the hawk, that is not valuable
here 10 vegetation. II is not alone for the
frs, song OF Spring time. at our doors, OF
for the full chorus that adds half the charm
10 an early walk'of summers morning,
that We may value these ieathered tribes,
bu, for their usefulness. The un,hinking
shoot the robin that pucks cherry from a
tree, not remembering that he has earned
his claim TO il by destroying the insects
which would have prevented their growth.
The red headed wood-pecker is driven
away, and libelled as sap sucker, and
the gardener rejoices in il Tor The present,
10 find hereafter his orchard suffering from
worms beneath the bark that The bird would
have taken out. The swallow is brought
down upon the wing, that boys and men
may show themselves good marksmen,
while the cattle are io:mened in pasture
and barn byifies that these very swallows
would have devoured. Even The back.bird,
that is stoned from the corn field Tor pre-.
suming 10 touch The grain, !s The preserver
Of that very grain by his warfare npon the
cut worm. And so each and every bird,
from the chirping sparrow upwards, is Civ.
Ell no, only 10 delight the eye and please
the ear, but for the more substantial uses Of
life and the killing Of birds or the rc6bing
OF their nests by boys or men, where the
birds are useless when dead, is barbarism
in itself, and injurious 10 Others. Thus ear
ly, therefore, we put in word for those
whose sweet songs should win mercy. Let
the birds live welcome them. as one and
another comes to us, with kindness. They
will thank us in the trees by our door sides.
at early morn before The labors Of The day
commence, and at quiet evening, when
wife and children are there and labor is
done. They will work in the fields, and
sing in The air, and rejoice themselves and
US, till cold November and clustering win
Ter shall send them away.