New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-03
Signs or SPRING.
BIRD AND FROG AND BLOSSOM ARE AN.
NOUNCTNG THE SEASON

BIRD AND FROG AND BLOSSOM ARE AN.
NOUNCTNG THE SEASON.
Among the earliest sounds n spring IN the coun-
try arc tho bird calls The winter chip chip"
~ the house sparrow and occasional soft notes ~
the chcaadee scarcely hi.shed before the hlrs-
olrd's cau the hlackbirds cultural notes and ina
song sparroH's trili break The silence ~ wood
and ao'd
When the frs, call ~ the hlIebird heard. IN
tho warm spring ivilizhfs tho peppers. or little
frog. begin 20 sing In every pond their pain'ivs
voices CRYING persisien'y Spring has comet
Spring has come" over and over again they an
rounce H. II they would never tire of telling ths
story soon tho shadows groT long they
begin and do not cease until midnight. when sud
denly they stop and are heard no more until ths
following twilight The sound Is lovely and feel
ing of home longing IL felt by the hearer. which
may b., associated with tho sad story ~ the beau
tiful boy Hyias. after whom the little frogs are
named.
I'm tho Greek mythology is this story of iiylas:
When Hercules went % the coast ~ Mysa IN his
search FOR the Golden Fleece Hylas went with him.
and when they reached tho coast the boy went on
shore 70 draw water from a fountain. but 10 was
81 beautiful that tho water nvmphs fell In love
with him. and drew him down % the bottom.
When night came and Hylas did not return ~ the
ship Hercules became alarmed. and went on shore
10 search for MIN.
He wandered through woods and meadows call
ing "TIylas. Hylas" and the hoy answered family
and sadly from the bottom Of tho fountain. but
tho great warrior could not hear his voice. and
sailed away without aim. thinking he had been
devoured by wild beasts. so the mournful littls
! peppers arc named after Hylas because they call
from the bottom or an the quiet country waters 10
field and meadow
Tho marshy dells in tho woods row filed
with the first flowers Of spring and among them
is noticed A plant sheU-shaped and purple bear
Ing tho unsavory name Of skunk cabbage"
T. IS tho first bloom after tho harrenness %
winter. and is wei worth search. being one Of
the most curious members OF tho great horal
family.
lu sheltered places during the latter part %
Mach may he found Tho hardest ~ the anemons
family. tho lovely iittlo hepatca. putting forth its
/ fragile purple blossoms. The buds form n the
t1en they are tucked safely away A. the base ~
the lear stalk in their silvery coats and are ready
and early April sunshine
Flowers express The dominant mood OF the sea-
chilly looking and shy. with The shrinking
tain charm Of tho American spring.
In sunny. sheltered field paths during late March
the earliest herb ~ spring the fragrant catnp. Is
found l. IS a hardy member of ine sage family.
March though the bloom comes later In tho sea-
son. The fondness nj The cat family for this Pc
IN Central Park their eagorness 20 get n arouses
such An excitement and uoroar that the keepers
TO be cultivated taste and not inherited as young
kittens will not touch II.
quaint legend Of the ratnip f. that the root II
eaten hy men makes them courageous. An Eng
lish hansman admitted that h. could screw
Many % The woodl1n trees are fully huddef IN
March and show red and green shsdinss under the
Along Tho clear brooks and small strear,le,s no
swamp willows show their delicate green fringe
and 'he pussy willows burs, INTO soft gray sails
I during the windy month