^go Hume Nature-Study Course. 



Piped a tiny voice near by, 



Gay and polite, a cheerful cry — 



Chick-chickadee ! saucy note 



Out of sound heart and merry throat, 



As if it said, ' Good-day, good Sir ! 



Fine afternoon, old passenger! 



Happy to meet you in these places 



Where January brings few faces." " 



— Emerson. 



" Shrewd little hunter of woods all gray. 

 Whom 1 meet on my walk of a winter day — 

 You're busy inspecting each cranny and hole 

 In the ragged bark of yon hickory bole ; 

 You intent on your task, and I on the law 

 Of your wonderful head and gymnastic claw! 



The woodpecker well may despair of this feat — 

 Only the fly with you can compete ! 

 So mucli is clear; but I fain would know 

 How you can so reckless and fearless go. 

 Head upward, head downward, ail one to you, 

 Zenith and nadir the same in your view ? " 



The Nuthatch, Edith M. Thoiupsor. 



" Spite of winter, thou keep'st thy green glory, 

 Lusty father of Titans past number ! 

 The snow-flakes alone make thee hoary. 

 Nestling close to thy branches in slumber 

 And thee mantling with silence. 



Thou alone know'st the splendor of winter, 



Mid thy snow-silvered, hushed precipices. 

 Hearing crags of green ice -groan and splinter. 



And then plunge down the muffled abysses 

 In the quiet of midnight. 



Thou alone know'st the glory of summer, 



Gazing down on thy broad seas of forest. 

 On thy subjects that send a proud murmur 

 Up to thee, to their sachem, who towcrest 

 From thy bleak throne to heaven." 



To a Pine Tree, James Russell Lowell. 



