Identifier: cu31924022528677 (find matches)
Title: The birds of Ohio; a complete scientific and popular description of the 320 species of birds found in the state
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Dawson, William Leon, 1873- Jones, Lynds, b. 1865
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Columbus, The Wheaton Publishing Co.
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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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 hei-aldpresses northward and scatters the tidings far and wide. Spring is in the airand spring, thenceforth, is in our hearts. The cruel north wind may sweqDdown 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 breasthe 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 counts it joyenough to live. Truth to tell. Bluebird does make sad mistakes sometimes. He trusts too
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BLUEBIRDLife-size THE BLUEBIRD. 227 well some 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 States.The cold wrought fearfulhavoc to all bird life, but theblow seemed to fall mostheavily upon the Bluebirds.Their 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 verygratifving, however, to note that their numbers are materially increasing of late.In some localities they appear to have almost regained their former stat

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