82 LAND OF THE LINGERING SNOW. 



distinct, and then came clearly from the upper 

 air, but from a point swiftly changing, appar- 

 ently revolving. I fixed my mind intently 

 upon the sound. It was a series of single musi- 

 cal notes uttered rapidly by some creature fly- 

 ing swiftly in an immense circle high over the 

 meadow. It seemed as though the sky were a 

 vast vaulted whispering gallery under whose 

 dark blue dome a singing reed was being whirled 

 round and round, dropping sweet bits of sound 

 as it sped through the air. As I listened breath- 

 lessly, this sound was smoothly changed into 

 another. The creature was descending : its 

 notes fell more slowly but more distinctly ; they 

 were sweeter, rounder, more liquid. They came 

 down, down, and then ceased, quenched in the 

 damp grass. Almost at once, however, the 

 " n'yah " began again at the same point in the 

 meadow where it had been made before. This 

 entire performance was repeated several times. 

 The last time the nasal call was given twenty- 

 four times and the aerial part was omitted. 

 The performer was satisfied for the night. As 

 he closed, the bells in Arlington struck seven. 



Those who know the plump and meditative 

 woodcock, gazing by the hour together down the 

 line of his bill into black mud, will wonder with 

 me that his courtship can arouse him to such 

 airy fairy efforts, and at so romantic an hour. 



