Of course, by the coming of the birds I do not refer to the pioneers that are in advance of every company. Indeed, I have seldom announced the first of the season, but 72I have been met by the man who was at least one day ahead of me; so firstlings are not favorites.
There is every year the one memorable morning when we can say, in broad terms, “The birds are here.” When the oriole whistles from the tallest tree in the lawn; when the wren3 chatters4 from the portal of his old-time home; when the indigo-finch sings in the weedy pasture; when lisping warblers throng5 every tree and shrub6; while over all, high in air, the twittering swallows dart7 in ecstasy8; and at last, the day-long concert over, whippoorwills in the woods pipe their monotonous9 refrain. The Indians were right: when there came such days as this, they had no further fear of frost, and we need have but little. Our climate certainly has changed slightly since their time, but we have in such a bird-full day an assurance that the clinging finger-tips of Winter have at last relaxed and his hold upon our fields and forests is lost.
A word again of the advance guard. The brown thrush came on the seventeenth of the month (April, 1892), when there were no leafy thickets10 and the maples11 only were in 73bloom. What a glorious herald12 he proved! and so he always proves. Before the sun was up I heard him in my dreams, and later the fancy proved a fact. Perched at the very top of an old walnut-tree, where the wintry world was spread before him, he sang that song peculiarly his own.
No hint of blushing roses on the hill,
The buds are sleeping yet upon the plain,
The blight14 of dreary15 winter clingeth still,
The forest weeps where falls the chilly16 rain.
Scarce hopeful leaf-buds shrink—death’s solemn hush17
Rests on the field, the meadow brook18 along,
Till breaks the day, O happy day! the thrush
Foretells19 the coming summer in a song.
Two days later it was almost summer, and tripping along the river’s pebbly20 beach were spotted21 sand-pipers. They were ahead of time this year, I thought, but none the less happy because the trees were bare and the water cold; but, stranger still, in the sheltered coves22 of the mill-pond, that now reflected the gold of the spice-wood and the crimson23 of the overhanging maples, there were warblers, merry as in midsummer, and a pair, at least, of small thrushes. A bittern, too, stood 74in the weedy marsh24. There they had gathered on that sunny, summery day, as if warm weather was an established fact; but how different the next morning, when a cold north-east storm prevailed! How well it showed that one such sunny day does not make a season! How clearly it proved that birds have no prophetic insight! They were caught and suffered and disappeared. Did they fly above the clouds and go to some distant point, free of chilling rain, or did they hide in the cedar25 swamps? This problem I did not essay to solve. In the few cedars26 along the river-shore I found nothing but winter residents, but I made no careful search. A few days later and spring-like conditions again prevailed and every day some new bird was seen, but not until May 1 could we say, “The birds have come.”
These uncertain April days are not disappointing. We are not warranted in expecting much of them, and whatsoever27 we do meet with is just so much more than we had reason to look for,—an added bit of good luck that increases our love for the year’s fourth month; but if no migrant came, there is little likelihood that the pastures and rivershore 75would be silent. There never was an April that had not its full complement28 of robins29 and blithe30 meadow-larks, of glorious crested31 tits and gay cardinals33, of restless red-wings and stately grakles, and these are quite equal to driving dull care away, and keeping it away, if the migrants did not come at all. Even in March, and early in the month, we often have a foretaste of abundant bird-life; an intimation of what a few weeks will bring us. A bright March morning in 1893 was an instance of this. I walked for miles along the river-bank with a learned German who was enthusiastic about everything but what interested me. This may not seem to be a promising34 outlook, but we undertook to convert each other. I was to give up my frivolity35, he determined36. My effort was to get his dry-as-dust whimsies37 out of him. The great ice-gorge of the past winter was now a torrent38 of muddy waters and huge cakes of crystal that rushed and roared not only through the river’s channel, but over half the meadow-land that bordered it. It was, I admit, an excellent opportunity to study the effects of such occurrences, for to them is due the shaping of the valley, 76and gravel39 transportation, and all that; but then there was the effect of light and shade upon the wonderful scene, and beauty like this crowded out my taste for geology. The sky was darkly blue, flecked with great masses of snow white-cloud that drifted between the sun and earth, casting shadows that blackened the ice and brought winter back again; but a moment later a flood of sunshine as promptly40 changed all, and the bluebirds hinted of spring. Then, too, the gulls41 and crows screamed above the roar and crunching42 of the ice as it struck the scattered43 trees, while in every sheltered nook was a full complement of song-sparrows. Why any one should bother about geology at such a time I could not see; but my companion was intent upon problems of the ice age, and continually remarked, “Now, if” or “Don’t you see?” but I always cut him short with “See that crow?” or “Hear that sparrow?” No, he had not seen or heard the birds, and neither had I his particular impressions. At last the sunshine broke upon him, and he laughed aloud when he saw the crows trying to steal a ride on ice-rafts that continually upset. I was hopeful now, and he 77soon heard the birds that sang, and whistled after a long line of kill-deer plover44 that hurried by, every one calling to his fellows. It was something to know that the coming of the birds can rouse a German out of his everlasting45 problems. He had more to say of the springtide so near at hand than had I, and, nosing over the ground, found nine vigorous plants in active growth, and spoke46 so learnedly of Cyperus, Galium, Allium, and Saponaria that I as glibly47 thought, in jealous mood, “Confound him!” for now he was taking possession of my province and showing me my littleness; but then I had dragged him out of his problems.
The truth is, I was in something like despair when we started out, for I feared a lecture on physical geography, and, indeed, did not quite escape; but the bitter was well mixed with the sweet, and he in time listened with all my ardor49 to the birds that braved the boisterous50 wind and were not afraid of a river wilder than they had ever seen before. The day proved to be of more significance than as regards mere51 glacial geology. It was a foretaste of what was coming in April. I drew a glowing picture of what our April meant, 78and pictured a peaceful river and violets and meadow blossoms as bright as they were fragrant52. My learned friend smiled, then grew enthusiastic; must come again to see the birds as they arrived, and—must I say it?—spoke of beer. Alas53! it was Sunday.
There are two reasons why April birds are particularly attractive. One is, there are fewer of them, and again, there is practically no foliage54 to conceal55 them. Better one bird in full view than a dozen half hidden. Their songs, too, have a flavor of novelty, and ring so assuringly through the leafless woods. The ear forever bends graciously to promises, even though we know they will be broken; but birds, unlike men, are not given to lying. When they promise May flowers and green leaves they mean it, and, so far as history records, there has never been a May without them, not even the cold May of 1816, when there was ice and snow. But aside from their singing, April birds offer the opportunity of studying their manners, which is better to know than the number of their tail-feathers or the color of their eggs. The brown thrush that sings so glibly from the bare branch of a lonely tree shows now, by his 79way of holding himself and pointing his tail, that he is closely akin48 to the little wrens and their big cousin, the Carolina mocker, so called, which does not mock at all. Of all our April birds, I believe I love best the chewink, or swamp-robin. To be sure, he is no more a feature of April than of June, and many are here all winter; but when he scatters56 the dead leaves and whistles his bi-syllabic refrain with a vim57 that rouses an echo, or mounts a bush and sings his few notes of real music, we forget that summer is only on the way, but not yet here. Of all our birds, I always fancied this one was most set in his singing, as he surely is in his ways; but Cheney tells us that "this bird, like many others, can extemporize58 finely when the spirit moves him. For several successive days one season a chewink gave me very interesting exhibitions of the kind. He fairly revelled59 in the new song, repeating it times without number. Whether he stole it from the first strain of ‘Rock of Ages’ or it was stolen from him or some of his family, is a question yet to be decided60." Now, the chewink is a bird of character, and, above all things, dislikes interference, and he sings “for his own 80pleasure, for he frequently lets himself out lustily when he knows he is all alone,” as Dr. Placzeck has said of birds in general. I shall never forget a little incident I once witnessed, in which a chewink and a cardinal32 grosbeak figured. They reached the same bush at the same moment, and both started their songs. The loud whistle of the red-bird quite smothered61 the notes of the chewink, which stopped suddenly before it was through and, with a squeak62 of impatience63, made a dash at the intruder and nearly knocked him off his perch13. Such haps64 and mishaps65 as these—and they are continually occurring—can only be seen in April or earlier, when we can see through the woods, and not merely the outer branches of the trees when in leaf. In April we can detect, too, the earliest flowers, and they fit well with the songs of the forerunning birds. There is more, I think, for all of us in an April violet than in a June rose; in a sheltered bit of turf with sprouting66 grass than in the wide pastures a month later. We do not hurry in-doors at the sudden coming of an April shower. The rain-drops that cling to the opening leaf-buds are too near real gems67 not to be 81fancied a veritable gift to us, and we toy with the baubles68 for the brief moment that they are ours. The sunshine that follows such a shower has greater magic in its touch than it possesses later in the year; the buds of the morning now are blossoms in the afternoon, so quickening is the warmth of the first few days of spring. The stain of winter is washed away by an April shower, and the freshest green of the pasture is ever that which is newest. There is at times a subtle element in the atmosphere that the chemist calls “ozone,” but a better name is “snap.” It dwells in April sunshine and is the inveterate69 foe70 of inertia71. It moves us, whether we will or not, and we are now in a hurry even when there is no need of haste. The “spring fever” that we hear of as a malady72 in town never counts as its victim the lover of an April outing. The beauty of novelty is greater than the beauty of abundance. Our recollection of a whole summer is but dim at best, but who forgets the beginnings thereof? We passed by unheeding many a sweet song before the season was over, but can recall, I venture to say, our first glimpse of the returning spring. Though the sky may be 82gray, the earth brown, and the wind out of the north, let a thrush sing, a kinglet lisp, a crested tit whistle, and a tree-sparrow chirp73 among the swelling74 leaf-buds, and you have seen and heard that which is not only a delight in itself, but the more pleasing that it is the prelude75 announcing the general coming of the birds.
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1
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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wrens
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| n.鹪鹩( wren的名词复数 ) | |
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wren
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| n.鹪鹩；英国皇家海军女子服务队成员 | |
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chatters
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的第三人称单数 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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shrub
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| n.灌木，灌木丛 | |
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dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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thickets
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| n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 )；丛状物 | |
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maples
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| 槭树，枫树( maple的名词复数 )； 槭木 | |
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12
herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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13
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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blight
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| n.枯萎病；造成破坏的因素；vt.破坏，摧残 | |
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15
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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16
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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18
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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19
foretells
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| v.预言，预示( foretell的第三人称单数 ) | |
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pebbly
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| 多卵石的，有卵石花纹的 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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22
coves
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| n.小海湾( cove的名词复数 )；家伙 | |
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23
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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24
marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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25
cedar
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| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
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cedars
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| 雪松，西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 ) | |
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27
whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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28
complement
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| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
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29
robins
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| n.知更鸟，鸫( robin的名词复数 )；（签名者不分先后，以避免受责的）圆形签名抗议书（或请愿书） | |
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30
blithe
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| adj.快乐的，无忧无虑的 | |
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crested
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| adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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32
cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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cardinals
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| 红衣主教( cardinal的名词复数 )； 红衣凤头鸟（见于北美，雄鸟为鲜红色）； 基数 | |
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34
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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35
frivolity
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| n.轻松的乐事，兴高采烈；轻浮的举止 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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whimsies
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| n.怪念头( whimsy的名词复数 )；异想天开；怪脾气；与众不同的幽默感 | |
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38
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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39
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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40
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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41
gulls
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| n.鸥( gull的名词复数 )v.欺骗某人( gull的第三人称单数 ) | |
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42
crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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43
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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44
plover
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| n.珩，珩科鸟，千鸟 | |
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45
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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46
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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47
glibly
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| adv.流利地，流畅地；满口 | |
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48
akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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49
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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50
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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51
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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52
fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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53
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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54
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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55
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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56
scatters
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| v.（使）散开， （使）分散，驱散( scatter的第三人称单数 )；撒 | |
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57
vim
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| n.精力，活力 | |
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58
extemporize
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| v.即席演说，即兴演奏，当场作成 | |
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59
revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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61
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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62
squeak
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| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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haps
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| n.粗厚毛披巾；偶然，机会，运气( hap的名词复数 ) | |
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mishaps
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| n.轻微的事故，小的意外( mishap的名词复数 ) | |
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sprouting
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| v.发芽( sprout的现在分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出 | |
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gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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baubles
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| n.小玩意( bauble的名词复数 )；华而不实的小件装饰品；无价值的东西；丑角的手杖 | |
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inveterate
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| adj.积习已深的，根深蒂固的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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inertia
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| adj.惰性，惯性，懒惰，迟钝 | |
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malady
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| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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73
chirp
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| v.(尤指鸟)唧唧喳喳的叫 | |
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swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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prelude
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| n.序言，前兆，序曲 | |
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