NEW ENGLAND WINTER. 155 



which has nothing in it, but compels the 

 eye; in a word, to demonstrate to others, 

 and not less to ourselves, that the secret 

 of success lies in the man and not in the 

 stuff. It is good, once in a while, to take 

 advantage of a disadvantage to show what 

 we can do. 



On the same principle we are glad to 

 find ourselves, if only not too often, in un- 

 propitious circumstances. Otherwise how 

 should we ever make proof of our philoso- 

 phy ? It heightens my confidence in the 

 goodness at the heart of things to see how, 

 as if by instinct, men of sound natures in- 

 evitably right the scale in seasons of loss 

 and scarcity. If half the fortune disap- 

 pears, the other half straightway doubles 

 in value. Faith easily puts aside calcula- 

 tion, and proves, off-hand, that a part is 

 equal to the whole. 



Thus it is with me as a lover of out-door 

 life, and especially as a field student of 

 ornithology. At no time of the year does 

 the fellowship of the birds afford me keener 

 enjoyment than in the dead of winter. In 

 June one may see them everywhere, and 

 hear them at all hours; a few more or a 



