APRIL BIRDS. 33 



flight of the latter species within a few- 

 days, as the edge of the woods was full 

 of them. I doubt if I ever heard a more 

 magnificent and varied concert of sparrow- 

 music than on this occasion, — the lively 

 ditty of the song-sparrow, the sweet, 

 melodious trill of the vesper, the long, 

 ringing whistle of the field-sparrow, and 

 even the sliding jingle of the chipper. 

 All contributed their part. There seemed 

 nothing more to be desired, but a pleasure 

 unexpected was still in store for me. Sud- 

 denly from the moist meadow at the foot of 

 the hill there was wafted up to me what 

 seemed a new sparrow-song, sweeter and 

 more liquid than any I had ever heard. 

 This was repeated again and again, and 

 slowly it dawned upon me that I had heard 

 this beautiful song before. More than six 

 years ago, in the backwoods of Maine, on 

 the shores of the Rangeley Lakes, I had 

 become familiar with the sweet strain of 

 the peabody bird, the white-throated 

 sparrow, ** the nightingale of the North," 

 (zonotricJiia albicoUis) ; and now right here 

 3 



