CHARACTER IN FEATHERS. 61 



The happy lovers ! They have never read it in 

 a book, but it is written on their hearts, 



" The gentle law, that each should be 

 The other's heaven and harmony." 



The goldfinch has the advantage of the titmouse 

 in several respects, but he lacks that spright- 

 liness, that exceeding light-heartedness, which 

 is the chickadee's most endearing characteristic. 

 For the sake of a strong contrast, we may 

 look next at the brown thrush, known to farm- 

 ers as the planting-bird and to ornithologists 

 as HarporhyncJius rufus ; a staid and solemn 

 Puritan, whose creed is the Preacher's, " Van- 

 ity of vanities, all is vanity." No frivolity and 

 merry-making for him ! After his brief annual 

 period of intensely passionate song, he does pen- 

 ance for the remainder of the year, skulking 

 about, on the ground or near it, silent and 

 gloomy. He seems ever on the watch against 

 an enemy, and, unfortunately for his comfort, he 

 has nothing of the reckless, bandit spirit, such 

 as the jay possesses, which goes to make a mod- 

 erate degree of danger almost a pastime. Not 

 that he is without courage ; when his nest is in 

 question he will take great risks ; but in general 

 his manner is dispirited, " sicklied o'er with the 

 pale cast of thought." Evidently he feels 



" The heavy and the weary weight 

 Of all this unintelligible world ; " 



