48 BIRD-SONGS. 



us labor more hours daily), neither their first 

 nor their last thoughts are given to the ques- 

 tion, What shall we eat, and what shall we 

 drink ? Possibly their habit of saluting the 

 rising and setting sun may be thought to favor 

 the theory that the worship of the god of day 

 was the original religion. I know nothing 

 about that. But it would be a sad change if 

 the birds, declining from their present beauti- 

 ful custom, were to sleep and work, work and 

 sleep, with no holy hour between, as is too 

 much the case with the being who, according 

 to his own pharisaic notion, is the only religious 

 animal. 



In the season, however, the woods are by no 

 means silent, even at noonday. Many species 

 (such as the vireos and warblers, who get their 

 living amid the foliage of trees) sing as they 

 work ; while the thrushes and others, who keep 

 business and pleasure more distinct, are often 

 too happy to go many hours together without a 

 hymn. I have even seen robins singing without 

 quitting the turf ; but that is rather unusual, for 

 somehow birds have come to feel that they must 

 get away from the ground when the lyrical mood 

 is upon them. This may be a thing of sentiment 

 (for is not language full of uncomplimentary 

 allusions to earth and earthliness ?), but more 

 likely it is prudential. The gift of song is no 



