TANGLE-LEAF PAPERS. 57 



the wild sea-fowl and shore-birds have some- 

 thing of the ocean-swell and the surf-ripple in 

 their flight. I believe it is Dr. Holmes who 

 speaks of the 



" Oriole floating like a flake of fire," 



but, true as the comparison is, the oriole, with 

 its sunshine and shadows, harmonizes perfectly 

 with the fresh greens and yellows of the young 

 spring leaves and tassels. How many of our 

 fly-catchers, finches, and warblers have a dash 

 of sap green and pale leaf-yellow, as if Nature 

 had purposely meant them for a part of her 

 general spring scheme of color ! Even the 

 bull-frog has the same marking as the tuft of 

 water-grass in which he sits ready for his head- 

 long plunge into the pool. Need I remind the 

 experienced sportsman of the fact that a wood- 

 duck among the broad leaves and snowy 

 blooms of the water-lily is a thing almost im- 

 possible to see although in plain view ? The 

 beautiful bird's white and gray and purplish 

 markings blend easily with the water-gleams, 

 and leaf-shimmer, and pure white flower-clus- 

 ters. 



The herons and kingfishers have for ages 

 set an example that anglers have not had the 

 wit to follow. White and pale blue are the 

 water high-lights as seen from under the surf ace 

 of the water. A white coat, with misty, dark- 

 gray wading-boots, would be nearly the snowy- 

 heron's fishing outfit for still, murky water. 

 Why ? Because the legs must be in the water 

 and the coat above water. So the great blue- 

 heron has dark gray-brown legs, and all its 

 under parts are overlaid with fine narrow 

 feathers of silvery white. But the kingfisher, 



