The Birds and Poets 23 



society of aristocrats, to which only a chosen few 

 may hope to be admitted. On the contrary, the 

 order is as wide and its appeal to all mankind is 

 as open and urgent and inviting as nature itself. 

 All the joys of fellowship and kinship with nature 

 are to be had for the mere asking. 



I know of no plan whereby one may add more 

 to his happiness than by a study of our birds and 

 their habits. 



Emerson called them his darlings: 



"Darlings of children and of bard, 

 Perfect kinds by vice unmarred, 

 All of worth and beauty set 

 Gems in Nature's cabinet; 

 These the fables she esteems 

 Reality most like to dreams. 

 Welcome back, you little nations, 

 Far-travelled in the south plantations; 

 Bring your music and rhythmic flight, 

 Your colors for our eyes' delight." 



The anxious hunt after a new and strange bird, 

 whose song, form or plumage has attracted one's 

 attention, is a source of never-ending interest and 

 enjoyment. It includes all the coarser joys of the 

 sportsman, and many finer and rarer spiritual 

 pleasures which are unknown to the mere hunter 

 of game. No matter how thoroughly acquainted 

 one may be with the birds, he may run into a sur- 

 prise in the woods or fields at any moment, and 

 happen upon a bird he has never seen, or which 



