The Birds’ Calendar . 

in some portions of its general route ; so that a 
pleasure which the sight of its chestnut breast 
could not give, is imparted by the fact that 
some of my neighbors cannot see it at all. 
This may be a villainous sort of delight, but 
the odium of such unmitigated selfishness be- 
longs equally to every class of naturalists, and, 
in extenuation of their fault, it may truly be 
urged that naturalists are no worse than all oth- 
ers, as this trait of depravity is not generated, 
but only brought to the surface, by natural re- 
search. 
When birds are located for the summer there 
is little fluctuation from day to day in numbers 
and varieties ata given place. But with the 
incoming and outgoing tides of spring and fall, 
a few hours will often make a great difference. 
One day aparticular area may be quite deserted, 
and the very next every tree and bush may be 
alive with birds. Thus the bay-breasted came 
in large numbers one morning, and in a few 
hours quite disappeared ; evidently for the most 
part males, from their full plumage, although 
among the number I observed one very dilapi- 
dated looking specimen, which I take it had the 
honor of being a female. 
One of the least considered, but most wonder- 
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