. The birds of Ohio; a complete scientific and popular description of the 320 species of birds found in the state . irst word of returning spring. The snow may still linger in patches andthe hoar-frost be only just making out of sight that rare day when the heraldpresses northward and scatters the tidings far and wide. Spring is in the airand spring, thenceforth, is in our hearts. The cruel north wind may sweepdown again and all the ugly signs of winter return, but Bluebird has kindled inour hearts the fires of an inextinguishable confidence, and we know that themaster word of exorcism has bee
. The birds of Ohio; a complete scientific and popular description of the 320 species of birds found in the state . irst word of returning spring. The snow may still linger in patches andthe hoar-frost be only just making out of sight that rare day when the heraldpresses northward and scatters the tidings far and wide. Spring is in the airand spring, thenceforth, is in our hearts. The cruel north wind may sweepdown again and all the ugly signs of winter return, but Bluebird has kindled inour hearts the fires of an inextinguishable confidence, and we know that themaster word of exorcism has been spoken. Surely there is nothing in naturemore heartening than the resolute courage and sublime good cheer of thisdauntless bird. Reflecting heaven from his back and the ground from his breast,he floats between sky and earth like the winged voice of Hope. Or else, shift-ing his light load of song from post to post along the cheerless fence, he poursout sincerest gratitude for even the meager goods of life, and coimts it joyenough to live. Truth to tell, IMuebird does make sad mistakes sometimes. He trusts too. BLUEBIRD .y/„//n siulis Life-size THE BLUEBIRD. 227 well S(_ime tricky Zephyr ofthe South, who whispersnot of what he knows, butwhat he hopes, and is cru-elly deceived. But Springdoes come, and if her mostimpetuous herald dies in theperformance of his duty, welove and honor him mostbecause his task was hard-est. The year 1895 markeda sad chapter in Bluebirdsexperience, and proved tobe a turning point in the his-tory of his race. That springan unusually severe cold waveo-f long duration swept overthe Middle and Gulf cold wrought fearfulhavoc to all bird life, but theblow seemed to fall mostheavily upon the ranks were not merelydecimated; they were al-most exterminated. Observ-ers in Ohio saw only single birds where before they had seen scores and hun-dreds. Thus, at Oberlin, I saw only five birds up to May i, 1895. It is verygratifying, howeve
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1903
