Lake George 
enthusiastic thrill. He is one of the very few 
species in whose case I fear that, when they 
come to judgment, they will ignominiously 
draw forth a few fresh, unused napkins, neatly 
wrapping up some latent talents. 
It is a peculiarity of this thrush that his tone, 
which near at hand sounds faint and veiled, 
seems to be magnified by distance. It is also 
noticeable what a carrying, and almost re-en- 
forcing, power there is in water; and it is one 
of the finest of musical effects, as one rows on 
the lake, a little way from shore, to hear, in the 
quietness of sea and sky, that distant rich and 
rippling triplet phrase so characteristic and 
seemingly touched with the lake’s own placid 
atmosphere, giving the scene a vital beauty and 
a vocal climax that escape the painter’s art. A 
liquid, thrushy quality of tone has peculiar 
affinity with such a scene. 
An unusual sight in mid-summer is the her- 
ring-gull—essentially a maritime bird of the far 
north, and only wintering in the States. Yet 
now and then he is to be found at the larger in- 
land waters during the breeding season, a pair 
having evidently concluded to summer at Lake 
George. It doubtless requires some individual- 
ity of bird character, being so gregarious as 
219 
