The Birds' Calendar 



seems an unreasonable assumption, there must 

 be numerous adaptations of structure to life, 

 and much significance of coloring, too, in the 

 animal and vegetable kingdoms, which we do 

 not dream of as yet. If everything in nature 

 is reasonable, and the definition of beauty be 

 true, that it is "Reason expressed in form," 

 then the monstrous bill of the pelican, the 

 excrescence of the marabou stork, and the 

 hump of the camel must challenge our exceed- 

 ing admiration. 



The most familiar of this secluded family, at 

 least as regards the sound of its voice, is the 

 wood pewee, that utters its plaintive, upward- 

 inflected note throughout the day, and even 

 quite far into the night, in the lonely woods. 

 Its olive-brown back and dingy- white breast 

 do not make it a conspicuous object, so that it 

 is much oftener heard than seen ; and yet it is 

 not difficult to find it, as it will remain a long 

 time in one spot, at short intervals repeating its 

 sigh, and it is not so timid as to withdraw 

 itself hastily when one approaches it. 



There is a delicious sadness in this note of 



the pewee, like a minor chord interposed in 



the predominating jubilant major strains of the 



forest choir. It voices the spirit of silent and 



182 



