THE CURRENT OF MUSKETAQUID. 107 



the majority. We crept up to them gradually 

 until all had retreated to the trees at one corner 

 of the field. Then we merged ourselves in the 

 stone wall and its brambles and bushes, and re- 

 mained motionless. One by one the birds drew 

 nearer. I imitated the shrill singing of a canary. 

 They began to sing, and the more distant birds 

 flew boldly over us and into the weeds in the 

 field. Soon the air was full of them, passing 

 close to our heads. When they were settled, we 

 crossed the wall and crawled along behind it 

 until we were within ten feet of some of the fox 

 sparrows. These we watched through the cracks 

 in the wall, and saw them scratch with both feet 

 in the earth and dry leaves. A hen scratches 

 with one foot at a time. These birds hitch back- 

 wards on both feet, twitching their wings at the 

 same moment and moving both feet together, 

 although not often exactly side by side. A few 

 of them sang their full song close by us. It is a 

 wonderful performance, full of strength, variety 

 and brilliancy. When the hermit thrush sings 

 1 feel as though the pine forest had been trans- 

 formed into a cathedral, in which the power of an 

 organ or the rich voice of a contralto singer was 

 bringing out the essence of the mass. When 

 the fox sparrow sings, the effect is entirely dif- 

 ferent. The quality of the music seems joyous, 

 not pathetic : that of the grand piano rather than 



