A year with the birds (1917) (14563328678)

Identifier: cu31924022541563 (find matches)

Title: A year with the birds

Year: 1917 (1910s)

Authors: Ball, Alice Eliza, 1867- Horsfall, R. Bruce (Robert Bruce), 1869-1948

Subjects: Birds Birds

Publisher: New York : Gibbs & Van Vleck

Contributing Library: Cornell University Library

Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

Text Appearing Before Image:

t:How value rises, and how declines. How kings with their armies in battle meet;And all the while, mid the soundless signs. They chirp their small gossipings, foolish-sweet. Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney 99 The Barn Swallow And after April, when May follows, And the white-throat builds, and all the swallows! Browning We come from the land of the South so gay,That is decked with flowers when the North is drear; We hear the alluring voice of May,As she whispers softly, Spring is here! With a flutter of joy, for the journey longOur wings we spread with a tireless flight, Beguiling the hours with a twittering song.As we skim the pools near the iris bright. Our steel-blue backs like the waters shine,Our breasts glow warm like the red-brown clay; We are blue birds fleet of the blossom-time.Winging and singing the days away. The garlanded trees in the orchard fair. And lilac-plumes in the garden, flingTheir perfume out on the rain-washed air— Of no lovelier vision could swallows sing! A. E. B. 100

Text Appearing After Image:

How the Swallows Tail Became Forked (A Legend) Great Spirit summoned to a grove Bird, beast and creeping thing,That they might ask what boon they would, Or any grievance bring. Fleet-winged birds and insects came: The swallow, swift and owl.Mosquito, hornet, bee and wasp. And later, fluttering fowl. Next sped the squirrel, rabbit, fox. Swift-footed stag and doe;Then bear and wolf; and last of all. The tortoise, ever slow. Each told how others preyed on him. Each asked some boon conferred;Then Man appeared, their common foe, And none dared speak a word. Man said, Great Spirit, only birds My true friends seem to be;The others bite or scratch or sting— The snake most dangerously. Bee buzzed. Owl hooted, Serpent hissed. And Squirrel chattered loud;Wolf howled, Bear growled. Great Spirits voice Hushed the rebellious crowd. 101 Man, you are right; you are attacked By creatures, great and small.Mosquito, sheathe your sting, and fly To every beast; ask all How they can best make friends wit

a year with the birds 1917 book illustrations ornithology birds zoological illustration high resolution images from internet archive

1917

Brown University Library

http://commons.wikimedia.org/

public domain