Our Common Birds and How to Know Them 
is similar in kind if not in degree to that which dominated them. Some of these, who are 
now simply conscious of a general, undefined feeling of pleasure when contemplating a 
charming view, and who, when brought by chance into contact with a bird or an animal 
in its native haunts, experience only a momentary interest and admiration at the sight— 
some of these (and more, perhaps, than are themselves aware of any such predilection) are 
fitted to share that glorious thrill and glow which nature bestows with liberal hand upon 
her devotees. If they have not already felt that delight it is only because they have hitherto 
slighted her. 
Let us suppose a person of this kind ; one, susceptible indeed to rural delights, but 
engrossed in other affairs, and hitherto inattentive to natural incidents or objects. Let us 
suppose some such incident or object to be thrust upon his sight in a way strongly to 
attract his notice. Say that upon one of his rambles he finds a bird’s nest containing a 
complement of eggs, and is struck with the cleverness of the structure and the beauty 
of its fragile contents. Can we not perceive that here may be the starting-point from 
which he will become an accomplished observer? And may we not easily fancy the 
succeeding steps of his progress? His curiosity is roused, and he takes his station near by 
26 
