ON BOSTON COMMON. 7 



ings of their course dive hurriedly into the near- 

 est tree. It was a mistake their stopping here 

 in the first place ; but once here, there is noth- 

 ing for it save to put up with the discomforts of 

 the situation till after sunset. Then, please 

 heaven, they will be off, praying never to find 

 themselves again in such a Babel. 



That most of our smaller birds migrate by 

 night is by this time too well established to 

 need corroboration ; but if the student wishes 

 to assure himself of the fact at first hand, he 

 may easily do it by one or two seasons' observa- 

 tions in our Common, — or, I suppose, in any 

 like inclosure. And if he be blest with an or- 

 nithologically educated ear, he may still further 

 confirm his faith by standing on Beacon Hill in 

 the evening — as I myself have often done — 

 and listening to the chips of warblers, or the 

 tseeps of sparrows, as these little wanderers, 

 hour after hour, pass through the darkness over 

 tiie city. Why the birds follow this plan, what 

 advantages they gain or what perils they avoid 

 by making their flight nocturnal, is a question 

 with which our inquisitive friend will perhaps 

 find greater difficulty. I should be glad, for 

 one, to hear his explanation. 



As a rule, our visitors tarry with us for two or 

 three days ; at least I have noticed that to be 

 true in many cases where their numbers, or size, 



