384 



III-: WESTERN WOOD I%VVEE. 



Till-'. |)ri-\ of j,'eiilli- iiK-l:iiKli">ly ami tlie licir to gluuiii is liiis I'cwct.- of 

 llic West. The (lav. iiidcfd, is fCTrisli. Tlii: leaves of the frajjraiit cotton- 

 woods glance and shininier under the ardent snn: while the wavelets of the 

 lake, tired of their morning mnii). are sighing sleepily in the root-laced cham- 

 bers of the overhanging sliore. The vision of the distant hills is blurred by 



heat inilsati(jns; the song of birds 

 has ceased and the very catUlis- 

 Hies are taking refuge from the 

 glare. The sun is dominant and 

 all Nature yields <lrowsy allegi- 

 ance to his sway. .Ml l)Ut Pewee. 

 He avoids the sun. indeed, but 

 from a sheltered |)erch he lifts a 

 voice of protest. "Ihuir Mr'" 



it seems uncalled-for. The 

 bird does not ap])ear to be lui- 

 hai)py. I'lycatching is good, and 

 the Pewee cocks liis head quite 

 cheerfully as he returns to his 

 perch after a successful foray. 

 Rut, true to some hidden impulse, 

 as you gaze u|>on him. he swells 

 with approaching effort, his man- 

 rlibles part, and he utters that 

 doleful. a])|Kiinted soun<l. lii'or 

 inc. His utterance has all the 

 |)rccision and finality of an as- 

 siguerl part in an orchestra. It is 

 as if we were watdiing a single 

 jilayer in a symphony of Nature 

 whose otiier strams were t<io sub- 

 tle for our ears. The player 

 seems inattentive to the music, he 

 eyes tiie ceiling langiiidly. he notes 

 a llasliing di.imond in tlie second box. he picks a flawed string al)sently. but at 

 a moment lie seizes the lx)W. gives the cello a \icious double scra|)e. ihuir inc. 

 and his task is done for that time. 



The Western W'oo<l Pewee is a late migrant, re.iching the middle of the 

 State about the 15th of May. and the northern liorder from five to ten days 

 later. It is found wherever there is timber, but is partial to half-o|)en situa- 

 tions, aufl is much more in eviilence East than West. It is especially fc^nd 

 of pine groves and rough brushy hillsides near water. Cannon Hill, in 



wi:sti;kx wood i-kw kk. 



