MUSICAL TREES 135 



quicker than when the trees shriek their plaint into 

 the night air. The boughs creak and roar like 

 frightened animals, and twigs snap like over- 

 strained strings, while the leaves howl dismally. 

 Melody is transformed into chaos. 



Dr. Hartwig in describing a storm in a forest 

 says: "A hurricane bursting over the primeval 

 forest is one of the most terrific scenes of nature. 

 A hollow uproar in the higher regions of the air, 

 as if the wild huntsman of the German legends 

 were sweeping along with his whole pack of phan- 

 tom hounds, precedes the explosion of the storm, 

 while the lower atmosphere still lies in deep re- 

 pose. The roaring and rushing descend lower and 

 lower ; the higher branches of the trees strike wildly 

 against each other; the forked lightning flashes 

 through the night-like darkness; the thunder, re- 

 peated by a hundred echoes, rolls through the 

 thicket; and trees, uprooted by the fury of the 

 storm, fall with a loud crash, bearing down every 

 stem of minor growth in their sweeping ruin. The 

 bowlings and wailings of terrified animals accom- 

 pany the wild sounds of the tempest." 



Under such conditions, it is hard to distinguish 

 the notes of the individual singers. A gentle breeze 

 is better calculated to bring out their vocal accom- 

 plishments. The pines are very noticeable for the 



