“In April we may look for the coming of a score or more of different
birds. How quickly they come and in what numbers depends upon the
season. If it is mild, they come gradually; if stormy, by fits and
starts, and sometimes in strangely mixed flocks.
“These belong to the first half of the month:—
_The Great Blue Heron._ Cousin to the white Egret; we always used to
have a pair of them by the upper mill-pond.
_The Purple Finch._ A large sparrow with a beautiful voice; the fully
grown male having a rosy flush to his feathers as if, it has been said,
the juice of crimson berries had been squeezed over him.
_The Vesper-sparrow._ The wayside Sparrow of our afternoon walk that we
have known as long as the Song Sparrow and Bluebird; famous for his
clear, ringing song at twilight and dawn. Rather light in color, with
_rust-red wing-markings and white outside tail-feathers_ that show
conspicuously as he flits along and tells his name.