WOOD NOTES WILD. 9 



growls, — the world is full of vocal sounds; only the 

 birds sing. They are Nature's finest artists, whose lives 

 and works are above the earth. They have not learned 

 of us; it is our delight to learn of them. To no other 

 living things are man's mind and heart so greatly in- 

 debted. Myriads of these beautiful creatures, journeying 

 thousands of miles over oceans and continents, much of 

 the way by night — to avoid murderers ! — return, unfail- 

 ing as the spring, prompt even to the day and hour, to 

 build their cunning nests and rear their young in our 

 orchards and door-yards, to delight us with their beauty 

 and grace of movement, and above, far above, all, to 

 pour over the world the glory of their song. He that 

 hath ears to hear, Id him hear. 



