WHERE BIRDS ROOST. | fe) 
mentioned, seek little hollows in the ground for 
bed-chambers, usually sheltered by grass tufts. 
Long before day, one April morning, I made my 
way to the marsh so frequently mentioned in this 
volume. The moon was shining brightly in the 
southern sky. Early as it was—for as yet there 
was no sign of daybreak —the silvery trills of the 
song-sparrows rose from the bushes like a votive 
offering to the Queen of Night. From one part of 
the swamp a sweet song would ring out on the 
moonlit air, and would at once be taken up by an- 
other songster not far away. ‘Then another would 
chime in, and another, until the whole enclosure 
was filled with the antiphonal melody. A silence 
would then fall upon the marsh like a dream-spirit, 
to be broken soon by another outburst of min- 
strelsy ; and thus the nocturne continued until day 
broke, and it merged into the glad matin service. 
But my object is to tell about bird roosts rather 
than about bird music. When I reached the 
farther end of the marsh, several sparrow songs 
came up from the ground. I walked with a ten- 
tative purpose toward a spot whence a song came, 
when the little triller sprang up affrighted. The 
same experiment with a number of other songsters 
brought a like result in each case, proving beyond 
doubt, I think, that at least some of the song- 
sparrows roost on the ground, and begin their 
matins before they rise from their couches, so 
anxious are they to put in a full day of song. 
On the same morning — it was still before day- 
