MINOR SONGSTERS. 161 
but although the same has been reported of the 
bluebird, I have never myself seen such a thing, 
and am satisfied that, as a rule, this gentle spirit 
finds a family party of six or seven company 
enough. His reticence, as we cheerfully admit, 
is nothing to quarrel with; it is all well-bred, 
and not in the least unkindly ; in fact, we like 
it, on the whole, rather better than the robin’s 
pertness and garrulity; but, none the less, its 
natural consequence is that the bird has small 
concern for musical display. When he sings, 
it is not to gain applause, but to express his af- 
fection ; and while, in one aspect of the case, 
there is nothing out of the way in this, — since 
his affection need not be the less deep and true 
because it is told in few words and with un- 
adorned phrase, — yet, as I said to begin with, 
it is hard not to feel that the world is being de- 
frauded, when for any reason, however amiable, 
the possessor of such a matchless voice has no 
ambition to make the most of it. 
It is always a double pleasure to find a plod- 
ding, hamdrum-seeming man with a poet’s heart 
in his breast; and a little of the same delighted 
surprise is felt by every one, I imagine, when 
he learns for the first time that our little brown 
creeper is a singer. What life could possibly 
be more prosaic than his? Day after day, year 
in and out, he creeps up one tree-trunk after 
1h 
