The Birds' Calendar 



Nature's effects are produced with consum- 

 mate skill, although we may be tempted now 

 and then to think the lines are crude and clumsy ; 

 and when she created the Canada goose she 

 was evidently fearful that our ears might be sur- 

 feited with superabundance of mellifluous de- 

 lectability. The vocal organs of this bird are as 

 complete a check to such satiety as one could 

 imagine. A pair of these creatures (a part of 

 the floating assets of the Park), with music un- 

 doubtedly in their hearts, although it gets ex- 

 cruciatingly snarled up in their throats, frequent- 

 ly have a '* fine frenzy " come over them, when 

 it becomes quite useless to listen for anything 

 more delicate than a crow-symphony. One of 

 them in i)articular, probably the male, accom- 

 panies the serenade with such remarkable writh- 

 ings and jerkings of his long neck, as to make 

 the beholder fear that there are junks of sound 

 sticking in his windpipe, and he is in danger of 

 choking; but finding that no evil lesults ensue, 

 he finally attributes these convulsions to ex- 

 uberance of feeling. It must be confessed that 

 such vociferation, relieved by picturesque sur- 

 roundings, and mellowed by distance, creates a 

 novel and poetic impression — one of nature's 

 harsh but vigorous and essential undertones. 



210 



