(Brass is Green 



Such, I am happy to say, is not my abode also. 

 . All the birds Thoreau mentions, except the 

 " veery," are my near neighbors, and others that 

 do not go to Massachusetts are here also, promi- 

 nently the crested tit and Carolina wren. Then, 

 too, I have three pairs of cardinal redbirds near, 

 and a little heronry within sight. What music 

 from dawn to dark ! I do not think five consecu- 

 tive minutes pass that at least one bird cannot be 

 heard, and far oftener three or four. Even the 

 little green herons that are nesting in the " pond- 

 hole," a sink-hole in an upland field, squawk as 

 they fly over, and such harsh sounds are pleasing, 

 coming from such a source. To those who have 

 long been familiar with birds, it is a merit of their 

 songs that, however humble, they bring up a pleas- 

 ing picture, recall a thrilling adventure, and bring 

 back days gone by that teemed with pleasure. 

 Doubtless a too frequent repetition of any bird's 

 song, if the creature were caged, would become 

 monotonous, but what of the association of song 

 and scene; of song-sparrows and the old garden; 

 of the wren's vehement twitter and the old bird- 

 house on the arbor ? These were the prominent 

 features of wild life that excited my wonder when 

 a child, and to hear them now is to renew one's 

 youth. Is it not strange so little attention is paid 

 to the modest wants of our native birds, and yet 

 we continually hear the regret that the birds are not 

 as abundant as formerly. I used to think so too, 

 but a little care in protecting them was all that 

 104 



