"Spring is coming, nurse! Spring is coming at last!" exclaimed the
Governor's little daughter, joyfully. "The snow is going away at last. I
am tired of the white snow, it makes my eyes ache. I want to see the brown
earth, and the grass, and the green moss, and the pretty flowers again."

"It will be some days before this deep covering of snow is gone. The
streets are still slippery with ice, which it will take some time, my
lady, to soften."

"But, nurse, the sun shines, and there are little streams of water
running along the streets in every direction; see, the snow is gone from
under the bushes and trees in the garden. I saw some dear little birds
flying about, and I watched them perching on the dry stalks of the tall
rough weeds, and they appeared to be picking seeds out of the husks. Can
you tell me what birds they were?"

"I saw the flock of birds you mean, Lady Mary; they are the common
snow-sparrows; [Footnote: Fringilla nivalis.] almost our earliest
visitants; for they may be seen in April, mingled with the brown
song-sparrow, [Footnote: Fringilla melodia.] flitting about the garden
fences, or picking the stalks of the tall mullein and amaranths, to find
the seeds that have not been shaken out by the autumn winds; and possibly
they also find insects cradled in the husks of the old seed-vessels. These
snow-sparrows are very hardy, and though some migrate to the States in the
beginning of winter, a few stay in the Upper Province, and others come back
to us before the snow is all gone."

"They are very pretty, neat-looking birds, nurse; dark slate colour, with
white breasts."