WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



Into this soft medley comes from afar the pert 

 questioning of a chewink, or the mocking laughter 

 of some ribald flicker on the top of the ridge, the 

 raucous cries of bluejay and crow, or perhaps 

 even the sharp scream of a broad-winged hawk, 

 hushing for a moment all the minor bird-voices 

 in frightened apprehension. 



Down by the stream, where the muskrats are 

 teaching their mouse-colored youngsters to swim, 

 and showing them the beds of the clams and the 

 edible roots of water-lilies, the warblers find their 

 best feeding-ground. 



Sit down quietly" here, and in a moment — be- 

 fore you have finished watching that water-snake 

 ingeniously getting possession of a bit of a dead and 

 stranded minnow he has found — one and another 

 of the tinj^ singers will flit close to 3'ou, so that 

 3^ou may make sure of their plumage, learn their 

 pretty waj^s of life, and memorize somewhat of the 

 burst of song with which, more and more as the 

 season advances, they salute their approaching 

 happiness. 



Here you will see, perhaps, in quick succession, 

 the two black-throats — the green and the blue. 

 The latter is habited in cadet-gray, but his lower 

 parts are brilliant white and his throat velvety 



165 



