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THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



spring calling than the wood thrush's 

 later song. The latter fills the mind 

 and satisfies the soul ; but the former 



"THE WOODPECKER STILL HAMMERS AWAY." 



does more, it fills the imagination and 

 leads the thoughts into a hundred 

 pleasant fields. 



Doubtless the surrounding bareness 

 accounts largely for the pleasure that 

 these simple sounds have for us. Heard 

 in the snow locked woods or along the 

 icebound stream, they strike the ear 

 with peculiar intensity, and are prelim- 

 inary to a more full-voiced, earnest an- 

 nouncement, but they set vibrating 



chords in the heart that are responsive 

 to no later sound.. It is well to enjoy 

 fully the actual bursting of bud into 

 leaf, thrush into first full song, and 

 perhaps nothing previous to these real- 

 ly does so "fill." But by this time the 

 eye is more or less accustomed, the ear 

 more or less used; the razor edge of 

 these senses has been dulled. 



The woodpecker still hammers away 

 on his dry stub, the "yellow-hammer's" 

 call still resounds from wood to wood, 

 the watchful grouse beats even a long- 

 er and warmer reveille to the dawn- 

 ing day. But, dulled by usage, our 



THE RUFFED GROUSE. 



ears will report little but the more ob- 

 vious music, as of thrush, warbler and 

 oriole. We have forsaken our first 

 love. Something is gone from the 

 chickadee's note, something from the 



THE CHICKADEES. 



3JJ 



