122 Sketches of Some Common Birds. 



water for the mill engine. Around the margin of the 

 neglected pond soon appeared a growth of weeds and 

 bramble, new forms soon flitted about the spot, and now 

 the vicinity is melodious through the spring and summer 

 with the chanting of the song sparrows. Thenceforth 

 it became a part of my daily experience to enjoy 

 the morning efl'usions of these persistent songsters when 1 

 passed the spot, from early March to late August. Lead- 

 ing from the mill-pond is a shallow rivulet, which tra- 

 verses the neighboring gardens on its way to the broad 

 meadows bordering the village. In the gardens other 

 song sparrows dwelt, and from the top offence-post, stake, 

 bush or tree almost incessantly arose the "plee-plee-plee " 

 and accompanying cadenza of the tireless musicians. Near 

 my home was a garden of a fruit-grower, whose raspberry 

 and blackberry bushes formed a desirable resort for many 

 feathered songsters. There the song sparrows led a happy 

 and unmolested existence under the protection of the 

 flapping scare-crows. 



Along the brushy borders of the lazy creek north of the 

 village the song sparrow first sought to enter the circle 

 of my bird friends, and I was not slow in responding to 

 the claims of the energetic, nervous little songster. His 

 streaky form and happy voice were additional charms to 

 the stream-side along which I so frequently wandered. 

 How could I resist those generous measures, welling up 

 from a heart made happy by the cozy home under a 

 chosen brush-heap? Or how could I watch my idle cork 

 when the restless movements of my little friend claimed 

 my attention, as he shifted his station irom one vantage- 

 point to another? Thus led by the witchery of the little 

 brown -coated songster, I frequently strolled along the 

 haunts made brighter by his presence; and in the inviting 

 shade of some favorite fishing station I whiled away the 

 time between the slow "bites" by listening to the voices 

 and observing the movements of my avian friends. The 

 leafless branches of a deadened tree, prone in the water 

 near my retreat, formed a favored place from which a 

 particular male song sparrow uttered his ditties. I soon 

 learned to know his voice and appearance. Flitting to a 

 perch among the branches, sometimes almost whirled be- 



