BIRCH BROWSINGS 167 



found us out, and after the fire had gone down 

 annoyed us much. My hands and wrists suddenly 

 began to smart and itch in a most 'unaccountable 

 manner. My first thought was that they had been 

 poisoned in some way. Then the smarting ex- 

 tended to my neck and face, even to my scalp, 

 when I began to suspect what was the matter. So, 

 wrapping myself up more thoroughly, and stowing 

 my hands away as best I could, I tried to sleep, 

 being some time behind my companions, who ap- 

 peared not to mind the "no-see-ems." I was fur- 

 ther annoyed by some little irregularity on my side 

 of the couch. The chambermaid had not beaten it 

 up well. One huge lump refused to be mollified, 

 and each attempt to adapt it to some natural hol- 

 low in my own body brought only a moment's re- 

 lief. But at last I got the better of this also and 

 slept. Late in the night I woke up, just in time 

 to hear a golden-crowned thrush sing in a tree near 

 by. It sang as loud and cheerily as at midday, and 

 I thought myself after all, quite in luck. Birds 

 occasionally sing at night, just as the cock crows. 

 I have heard the hairbird, and the note of the 

 kingbird; and the rufi'ed grouse frequently drums 

 at night. 



At the first faint signs of day a wood-thrush sang, 

 a few rods below us. Then after a little delay, as 

 the gray light began to grow around, thrushes broke 

 out in full song in all parts of the woods. I thought 

 I had never before heard them sing so sweetly. 

 Such a leisurely, golden chant ! — it consoled us for 



