MARCH SWALLOWS 241 



not in search of company. He is like the 

 amiable philosopher who was asked by some 

 busybody why he so often talked to himself. 

 " Well," said he, " for two reasons : first, I 

 like to talk to a sensible man, and secondly, 

 I like to hear a sensible man talk." In the 

 present instance the shrike may very well 

 have considered that there was little occa- 

 sion for his talking, either to himself or to 

 anybody else, since a bunch of twenty mas- 

 culine redwings in some willow trees near 

 by were chattering in chorus until, to use 

 a good Old Colony phrase, a man could 

 hardly hear himself think. Blackbird lo- 

 quacity, each particular bird sputtering " to 

 beat the band," is one of the wonders of 

 the world. 



