It is sure to be a bright March morning when you first hear his note; and it is as if the milder influences up above had found a voice and let a word fall upon your ear, so tender is it and so prophetic, a hope tinged7 with a regret.
"Bermuda! Bermuda! Bermuda!" he seems to say, as if both invoking8 and lamenting9, and, behold10! Bermuda follows close, though the little pilgrim may only be repeating the tradition of his race, himself having come only from Florida, the Carolinas, or even from Virginia, where he has found his Bermuda on some broad sunny hillside thickly studded with cedars11 and persimmon-trees.
In New York and in New England the sap starts up in the sugar maple12 the very day the bluebird arrives, and sugar-making begins forthwith. The bird is generally a mere13 disembodied voice; a rumor14 in the air for tow of three days before it takes visible shape before you. The males are the pioneers, and come several days in advance of the females. By the time both are here and the pairs have begun to prospect15 for a place to nest, sugar-making is over, the last vestige16 of snow has disappeared, and the plow17 is brightening its mould-board in the new furrow.
The bluebird enjoys the preëminence of being the first bit of color that cheers our northern landscape. The other birds that arrive about the same time—the sparrow, the robin18, the phoebe-bird—are clad in neutral tints19, gray, brown, or russet; but the bluebird brings one of the primary hues21 and the divinest of them all.
This bird also has the distinction of answering very nearly to the robin redbreast of English memory, and was by the early settlers of New England christened the blue robin.
It is a size or two larger, and the ruddy hue of its breast does not verge22 so nearly on an orange, but the manners and habits of the two birds are very much alike. Our bird has the softer voice, but the English redbreast is much the more skilled musician. He has indeed a fine, animated23 warble, heard nearly the year through about English gardens and along the old hedge-rows, that is quite beyond the compass of our bird's instrument. On the other hand, our bird is associated with the spring as the British species cannot be, being a winter resident also, while the brighter sun and sky of the New World have given him a coat that far surpasses that of his transatlantic cousin.
It is worthy24 of remark that among British birds there is no blue bird. The cerulean tint20 seems much rarer among the feathered tribes there than here. On this continent there are at least three species of the common bluebird, while in all our woods there is the blue jay and the indigo-bird,—the latter so intensely blue as to fully25 justify26 its name. There is also the blue grosbeak, not much behind the indigo-bird in intensity27 of color; and among our warblers the blue tint is very common.
It is interesting to know that the bluebird is not confined to any one section of the country; and that when one goes West he will still have this favorite with him, though a little changed in voice and color, just enough to give variety without marring the identity.
The Western bluebird is considered a distinct species, and is perhaps a little more brilliant and showy than its Eastern brother; and Nuttall thinks its song is more varied28, sweet, and tender. Its color approaches to ultramarine, while it has a sash of chestnut-red across its shoulders,—all the effects, I suspect, of that wonderful air and sky of California, and of those great Western plains; or, if one goes a little higher up into the mountainous regions of the West, he finds the Arctic bluebird, the ruddy brown on the breast changed to a greenish blue, and the wings longer and more pointed29; in other respects not differing much from our species.
The bluebird usually builds its nest in a hole in a stump30 or stub, or in an old cavity excavated31 by a woodpecker, when such can be had; but its first impulse seems to be to start in the world in much more style, and the happy pair make a great show of house-hunting about the farm buildings, now half persuaded to appropriate a dove-cote, then discussing in a lively manner a last year's swallow nest, or proclaiming with much flourish and flutter that they have taken the wren32's house, or the tenement33 of the purple martin; till finally nature becomes too urgent, when all this pretty make-believe ceases, and most of them settle back upon the old family stumps34 and knotholes in remote fields, and go to work in earnest.
In such situations the female is easily captured by approaching very stealthily and covering the entrance to the nest. The bird seldom makes any effort to escape, seeing how hopeless the case is, and keeps her place on the nest till she feels your hand closing around her. I have looked down into the cavity and seen the poor thing palpitating with fear and looking up with distended35 eyes, but never moving till I had withdrawn36 a few paces; then she rushes out with a cry that brings the male on the scene in a hurry. He warbles and lifts his wings beseechingly37, but shows no anger or disposition38 to scold and complain like most birds. Indeed, this bird seems incapable39 of uttering a harsh note, or of doing a spiteful, ill-tempered thing.
The ground-builders all have some art or device to decoy one away from the nest, affecting lameness40, a crippled wing, or a broken back, promising41 an easy capture if pursued. The tree-builders depend upon concealing42 the nest or placing it beyond reach. But the bluebird has no art either way, and its nest is easily found.
About the only enemies of the sitting bird or the nest is in danger of are snakes and squirrels. I knew of a farm-boy who was in the habit of putting his hand down into a bluebird's nest and taking out the old bird whenever he came that way. One day he put his hand in, and, feeling something peculiar43, withdrew it hastily, when it was instantly followed by the head of an enormous black snake. The boy took to his heels and the snake gave chase, pressing him close till a plowman near by came to the rescue with his ox-whip.
There never was a happier or more devoted44 husband than the male bluebird is. But among nearly all our familiar birds the serious cares of life seem to devolve almost entirely45 upon the female. The male is hilarious46 and demonstrative, the female serious and anxious about her charge. The male is the attendant of the female, following her wherever she goes. He never leads, never directs, but only seconds and applauds. If his life is all poetry and romance, hers is all business and prose. She has no pleasure but her duty, and no duty but to look after her nest and brood. She shows no affection for the male, no pleasure in his society; she only tolerates him as a necessary evil, and, if he is killed, goes in quest of another in the most business-like manner, as you would go for the plumber47 or the glazier. In most cases the male is the ornamental48 partner in the firm, and contributes little of the working capital. There seems to be more equality of the sexes among the woodpeckers, wrens49, and swallows; while the contrast is greatest, perhaps, in the bobolink family, where the courting is done in the Arab fashion, the female fleeing with all her speed and the male pursuing with equal precipitation; and were it not for the broods of young birds that appear, it would be hard to believe that the intercourse50 ever ripened51 into anything more intimate.
With the bluebirds the male is useful as well as ornamental. He is the gay champion and escort of the female at all times, and while she is sitting he feeds her regularly. It is very pretty to watch them building their nest. The male is very active in hunting out a place and exploring the boxes and cavities, but seems to have no choice in the matter and is anxious only to please and to encourage his mate, who has the practical turn and knows what will do and what will not. After she has suited herself he applauds her immensely, and away the two go in quest of material for the nest, the male acting52 as guard and flying above and in advance of the female. She brings all the material and does all the work of building, he looking on and encouraging her with gesture and song. He acts also as inspector53 of her work, but I fear is a very partial one. She enters the nest with her bit of dry grass or straw, and, having adjusted it to her notion, withdraws and waits near by while he goes in and looks it over. On coming out he exclaims very plainly, "Excellent! Excellent!" and away the two go again for more material.
The bluebirds, when they build about the farm buildings, sometimes come into contact with the swallows. The past season I knew a pair to take forcible possession of the domicile of a pair of the latter,—the cliff species that now stick their nests under the eaves of the barn. The bluebirds had been broken up in a little bird-house near by, by the rats or perhaps a weasel, and being no doubt in a bad humor, and the season being well advanced, they made forcible entrance into the adobe54 tenement of their neighbors, and held possession of it for some days, but I believe finally withdrew, rather than live amid such a squeaky, noisy colony. I have heard that these swallows, when ejected from their homes in that way by the phoebe-bird, have been known to fall to and mason up the entrance to the nest while their enemy was inside of it, thus having a revenge as complete and cruel as anything in human annals.
The bluebirds and the house wrens more frequently come into collision. A few years ago I put up a little bird-house in the back end of my garden for the accommodation of the wrens, and every season a pair of bluebirds looked into the tenement and lingered about several days, leading me to hope that they would conclude to occupy it. But they finally went away, and later in the season the wrens appeared, and, after a little coquetting, were regularly installed in their old quarters, and were as happy as only wrens can be.
One of our younger poets, Myron Benton, saw a little bird
which must have been the wren, as I know of no other bird that so throbs56 and palpitates with music as this little vagabond. And the pair I speak of seemed exceptionally happy, and the male had a small tornado57 of song in his crop that kept him "ruffled" every moment in the day. But before their honeymoon58 was over the bluebirds returned. I knew something was wrong before I was up in the morning. Instead of that voluble and gushing59 song outside the window, I heard the wrens scolding and crying at a fearful rate, and on going out saw the bluebirds in possession of the box. The poor wrens were in despair; they wrung60 their hands and tore their hair, after the wren fashion, but chiefly did they rattle61 out their disgust and wrath62 at the intruders. I have no doubt that, if it could have been interpreted, it would have proven the rankest and most voluble Billingsgate ever uttered. For the wren is saucy63, and he has a tongue in his head that can outwag any other tongue known to me.
The bluebirds said nothing, but the male kept an eye on Mr. Wren; and, when he came to near, gave chase, driving him to cover under the fence, or under a rubbish heap or other object, where the wren would scold and rattle away, while his pursuer sat on the fence or the pea-brush waiting for him to reappear.
Days passed, and the usurpers prospered64 and the outcasts were wretched; but the latter lingered about, watching and abusing their enemies, and hoping, no doubt, that things would take a turn, as they presently did. The outraged65 wrens were fully avenged66. The mother bluebird had laid her full complement67 of eggs and was beginning to set, when one day, as her mate was perched above her on the barn, along came a boy with one of those wicked elastic69 slings70 and cut him down with a pebble71. There he lay like a bit of sky fallen upon the grass. The widowed bird seemed to understand what had happened, and without much ado disappeared next day in quest of another mate. How she contrived72 to make her wants known, without trumpeting73 them about, I am unable to say. But I presume that birds have a way of advertising74 that answers the purpose well. Maybe she trusted to luck to fall in with some stray bachelor or bereaved75 male who would undertake to console a widow or one day's standing76. I will say, in passing, that there are no bachelors from choice among the birds; they are all rejected suitors, while old maids are entirely unknown. There is a Jack77 to every Jill; and some to boot.
The males, being more exposed by their song and plumage, and by being the pioneers in migrating, seem to be slightly in excess lest the supply fall short, and hence it sometimes happens that a few are bachelors perforce; there are not females enough to go around, but before the season is over there are sure to be some vacancies78 in the marital79 ranks, which they are called on to fill.
In the mean time the wrens were beside themselves with delight; they fairly screamed with joy. If the male was before "ruffled with whirlwind of his ecstasies," he was now in danger of being rent asunder80. He inflated81 his throat and caroled as wren never caroled before. And the female, too, how she cackled and darted82 about! How busy they both were! Rushing into the nest, they hustled83 those eggs out in less than a minute, wren time. They carried in new material, and by the third day were fairly installed again in their old headquarters; but on the third day, so rapidly are these little dramas played, the female bluebird reappeared with another mate. Ah! how the wren stock went down then! What dismay and despair filled again those little breasts! It was pitiful. They did not scold as before, but after a day or two withdrew from the garden, dumb with grief, and gave up the struggle.
The bluebird, finding her eggs gone and her nest changed, seemed suddenly seized with alarm and shunned84 the box; or else, finding she had less need for another husband than she thought, repented85 her rashness and wanted to dissolve the compact. But the happy bridegroom would not take the hint, and exerted all his eloquence86 to comfort and reassure87 her. He was fresh and fond, and until this bereaved female found him I am sure his suit had not prospered that season. He thought the box just the thing, and that there was no need of alarm, and spent days in trying to persuade the female back. Seeing he could not be a stepfather to a family, he was quite willing to assume a nearer relation. He hovered88 about the box, he went in and out, he called, he warbled, he entreated89; the female would respond occasionally and come and alight near, and even peep into the nest, but would not enter it, and quickly flew away again. Her mate would reluctantly follow, but he was soon back, uttering the most confident and cheering calls. If she did not come he would perch68 above the nest and sound his loudest notes over and over again, looking in the direction of his mate and beckoning90 with every motion. But she responded less and less frequently. Some days I would see him only, but finally he gave it up; the pair disappeared, and the box remained deserted91 the rest of the summer.
1867
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1
propitiate
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| v.慰解，劝解 | |
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2
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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3
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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4
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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5
celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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6
furrow
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| n.沟；垄沟；轨迹；车辙；皱纹 | |
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7
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
invoking
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| v.援引( invoke的现在分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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9
lamenting
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| adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 ) | |
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10
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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11
cedars
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| 雪松，西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 ) | |
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12
maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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13
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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14
rumor
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| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
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15
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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16
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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17
plow
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| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
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18
robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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19
tints
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| 色彩( tint的名词复数 )； 带白的颜色； （淡色）染发剂； 痕迹 | |
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20
tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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21
hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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22
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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23
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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24
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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25
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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26
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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27
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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28
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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29
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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30
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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31
excavated
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| v.挖掘( excavate的过去式和过去分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘 | |
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32
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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33
tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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34
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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35
distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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37
beseechingly
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| adv. 恳求地 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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39
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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40
lameness
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| n. 跛, 瘸, 残废 | |
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41
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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42
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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43
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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44
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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45
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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46
hilarious
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| adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed | |
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47
plumber
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| n.(装修水管的)管子工 | |
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48
ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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49
wrens
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| n.鹪鹩( wren的名词复数 ) | |
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50
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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51
ripened
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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53
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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54
adobe
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| n.泥砖，土坯，美国Adobe公司 | |
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55
ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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56
throbs
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| 体内的跳动( throb的名词复数 ) | |
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57
tornado
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| n.飓风，龙卷风 | |
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58
honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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59
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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60
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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61
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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62
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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63
saucy
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| adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的 | |
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64
prospered
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| 成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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66
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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67
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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68
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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69
elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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70
slings
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| 抛( sling的第三人称单数 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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71
pebble
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| n.卵石，小圆石 | |
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72
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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73
trumpeting
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| 大声说出或宣告（trumpet的现在分词形式） | |
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74
advertising
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| n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的 | |
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75
bereaved
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| adj.刚刚丧失亲人的v.使失去（希望、生命等）( bereave的过去式和过去分词)；（尤指死亡）使丧失（亲人、朋友等）；使孤寂；抢走（财物） | |
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76
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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77
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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78
vacancies
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| n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺 | |
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marital
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| adj.婚姻的，夫妻的 | |
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80
asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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81
inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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82
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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83
hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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84
shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85
repented
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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86
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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87
reassure
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| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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88
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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89
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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90
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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91
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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