In Winter 



And it was also on this same expedition, 

 if I recall correctly, that I was first able to 

 differentiate the music of the Tree Sparrow 

 (another winter visitant) from that of the 

 others of his family, two or three of this 

 species repeating their song for me, with its 

 two opening couplets, until I had succeeded 

 in fixing it definitely to my entire satisfac- 

 tion; yet not with the result of lessening 

 my love for another strain — his cousin's 

 cadenza, the bright and joyous one-two- 

 three-count-the-rest-if-you-can melody of 

 the Song Sparrow. 



These few — home-birds and migrants — 

 with the rarely seen Purple Finch; the 

 little Brown Creeper, so hard to find 

 because he blends so wonderfully with the 

 bark of the tree to which he cHngs (being 

 the best example within my Imowledge of 

 what is called ^'protective coloration"); 

 the Golden-crowned Kinglet; a few Owls, 

 and the merry, black-capped Chickadees,— 

 these, and perhaps one or two others, con- 

 stitute the full array of our winter birds; 

 not much of a showing, I grant you, and 



[1911 



