468 PRACTICAL ORNITHOLOGY. 



them, that I think may not, under favourable circumstances, 

 be surpassed by your humble servant. 



Phys. Bravo ! To excel, a man must not undervalue him- 

 self. But I must qualify this drowsy stuff with a little of your 

 pure aqua. Now for the soup and oat bread. The expendi- 

 ture of so much fluid by cutaneous transpiration must be coun- 

 terbalanced by absorption. 



Aud. Well now, having refreshed ourselves, let us march. 



Orn. It is a sweet spot, and must be very beautiful in sum- 

 mer, M'hen all those trees and bushes are clothed with foliage. 

 The golden catkins of the willow margin the clear brook, the 

 pure light green of the larches enlivens that steep slope, and 

 here, amidst the grass of this bank, peep forth the Dog Violet, 

 the Pilewort, and the Barren Strawberry, while the Butter- 

 burs stand sturdily forth, their clusters of pink florets attractive 

 of the black-and-yellow bees, which eagerly pump out their 

 sweet juices. Many Willow Wrens warble at intervals on the 

 trees ; but I hear no other summer bird. The gentle Mavis 

 mingles its sweet notes with the louder and more lively song 

 of the Blackbird. There, Physiophilus, get us a pair of Willow 

 Wrens. 



Aud. Were my friend Nuttall here, he might syllable the 

 song of these pretty little things into " twee., twee., tweee, ticeee, 

 twee, twai, twai, twiu, twin, ticiu, twi, twi, twi, tivi.'''' It is 

 strange that some European ornithologists have stated that the 

 Willow Wren occurs in America. No such thing, I assure 

 you. They must have mistaken the young of some of our 

 Sylvicolae for it. Physiophilus has shot one. 



Orn. You must have many fine songsters in America. 



Aud. That we have indeed. The Mocking Bird, of course, 

 stands first in my opinion, and is unrivalled. Then, perhaps 

 on account of my own sensitive nature, I would place next 

 the Wood Thrush, although the Cat Bird is far its superior 

 in many points, as is also the Turdus rufus. Think of our 

 Rose-breasted, Pine, and Blue Grosbeaks, how mellow and 

 sweet their continuous songs are, whether by day, or during 

 calm nights. Watch the varied ditties of the Orchard Oriole, 

 and the loud and more musical notes of its brother the Golden 



