BIRD STUDY 33 



anthem of the Hermit, his evening hymn of 

 praise, are good examples of the variety that one 

 finds in Nature's chorus. 



There is a charm attached to those bird songs 

 heard in our younger years that is not replaced 

 by others of later years, however excellent. 

 The birds of our youth were the sweetest singers. 

 It would be very difficult to convince a boy of a 

 New England farm that the world holds any 

 sweeter singer than the Bobolink or Hermit 

 Thrush. The boy who passes his youth among 

 the charms of a southern plantation would not 

 believe it possible for any feathered singer to 

 excel his own dear Mocking Bird and Cardinal, 

 while our English cousins just as firmly believe 

 that their wonderful Nightingale and Skylark 

 represent the very acme of excellence in bird 

 song. So it is not easy to say what and where 

 are the best bird singers. Perhaps, after all, the 

 song in our own hearts finding expression 

 through these feathered minstrels is the one 

 that most delights our ears. 



Wise Nature has not placed all her choice 

 singers in one country or in a single locality. 

 Every land has its chorus of excellent per- 

 formers, returning each year overflowing with 

 love and joy which are given expression in this 

 form. The only price of admission to Nature's 

 chorus is an attentive ear, a listening heart. 

 Perhaps if the price were expressed in dollars 

 more would become patrons of the bird opera. 



Bird Study. As we have seen, birds are to be 

 found in practically all localities, if only one 

 takes the trouble to look them up. The winter 



