But badly as they were presented, the pictures were yet information,
and were entered in his memory as lasting accessions to his store of
truth about the Wild Things.

Of course, he already knew some few birds whose names are familiar
to every schoolboy: the Robin, Bluebird, Kingbird, Wild Canary,
Woodpecker, Barn-swallow, Wren, Chickadee, Wild Pigeon, Humming-bird,
Pewee, so that his list was steadily increased.




V

The Collarless Stranger


Oh, sympathy! the noblest gift of God to man.
The greatest bond there is twixt man and man.
The strongest link in any friendship chain.
The single lasting hold in kinship's claim.
The only incorrosive strand in marriage bonds.
The blazing torch where genius lights her lamp.
The ten times noble base of noblest love.
More deep than love--more strong than hate--the biggest thing
in all the universe--the law of laws.
Grant but this greatest gift of God to man--this single link
concatenating grant, and all the rest are worthless or comprised.

Each year the ancient springtime madness came more strongly on Yan.