BERRY-TIME FELICITIES 161 



this good lady, an honest appreciator of 

 things wild, after the Whitman manner, be- 

 big in the company of a man known to be 

 interested in matters ornithological, broke 

 out upon him, 



" Oh, Mr. - , I do so enjoy the birds ! I 

 sit at my window and listen to the meadow 

 larks by the hour." 



The gentleman was not adroit (I am not 

 speaking of myself, let me say). Perhaps 

 he was more ornithologist than man of the 

 world. Such a thing may happen. At any 

 rate he failed to command himself. 



" Meadow larks ! " he answered, knowing 

 there was no bird of that kind within ten 

 miles of the spot in question. 



" Well," said his fair interlocutor, " they 

 are either meadow larks or song sparrows." 



Such nature lovers, I say, may properly 

 enough come to the mountains in August. 

 As for bird students, who, not being poets, 

 are in no danger of knowing " too much," if 

 they can come but once a year, let them by 

 all means choose a birdier season. 



For myself, though my present mood was 

 rather Whitmanian than scientific, I did de- 



