“But however much the Baltimore Oriole loves his native land, the climate and the exigencies of travel make his stay in it brief; for he does not appear until there is some protection of foliage and he starts southward toward his winter home in Central and South America often before a single leaf has fallen. THE BALTIMORE ORIOLE O Golden Robin! pipe again That happy, hopeful, cheering strain! A prisoner in my chamber, I See neither grass, nor bough, nor sky; Yet to my mind thy warblings bring, In troops, all images of spring; And every sense is satisfied But what thy magic has supplied. As by enchantment, now I see On every bush and forest tree The tender, downy leaf appear.— The loveliest robe they wear. The tulip and the hyacinth grace The garden bed; each grassy place With dandelions glowing bright, Or king-cups, childhood’s pure delight, Invite the passer-by to tread Upon the soft, elastic bed, And pluck again the simple flowers Which charmed so oft his younger hours. The apple orchards all in bloom— I seem to smell their rare perfume. And thou, gay whistler! to whose song These powers of magic art belong, On top of lofty elm I see Thy black and orange livery; Forgive that word! a freeman bold, Of choice thou wearest jet and gold, And no man’s livery dost bear, Thou flying tulip! free as air! Come, Golden Robin! once again That magic, joy-inspiring strain! —Thomas Hill. “Of all our North American birds, the Tanager is the most gorgeous and suggestive of the tropics. I do not understand how any one can fail to name him. He is unlike any other. Entire body rich scarlet, wings and tail black; that is all that there is to remember about him in spring dress. In autumn he moults to a greenish yellow like his mate, but still keeps his black wings and tail. “This bird is commonly thought to be rare, but that is because he loves groves of oaks, chestnuts, and beeches, and Nature has taught him to keep in high deep shade, that his colour, far richer than the Cardinals, may not make him a target for enemies, both feathered and human. But in the migrations he is often to be seen. Half a dozen were feeding at one time in the garden and about the lunch-counter this spring, and in May, whenever I drove about or went to Fair Meadows village, some one was sure to either ask me the name of the beautiful red birds that they had seen about the yard, or, if they knew the bird, tell how plentiful Tanagers had been this year.