62 Summer Studies of Birds and Books CHAP. 



till the vibrating tongue is clearly visible as the 

 head is held upwards to sustain the effort. Every 

 now and then he will communicate with his wife 

 by a signal she knows well : it is a series of long, 

 pathetic notes, which can be heard at a long distance, 

 and speak his tender love and appreciation of her 

 labours. These notes are uttered for I have 

 watched the bird at a distance of a few feet 

 with the bill almost closed, and with no sign of 

 effort ; they are rather an inward meditation than 

 an outspoken call, in spite of their resonance. 



What you see when the Wood-wren has revealed 

 himself is nothing but a little brown bird with a 

 whitish-yellow throat and pure white breast and belly; 

 the books indeed tell you that there is much yellow 

 about it, but this you would readily discover only if 

 you had it in your hand and could turn up the 

 feathers. But if not conspicuous in his colouring, he 

 is a model of perfect grace in shape and movement ; 

 and if birds are to be studied, as indeed I hope they 

 are, not merely as empty skins, but as living 

 creatures with minds, hoping and fearing, rejoicing 

 and sorrowing, here is one that I may well watch 

 for half an hour, and feel as much indebted to the 

 sight of his delicate form and harmonious motion as 

 I should to the contemplation of the gracefullest of 

 Greek vases or the purest melody of Mozart. 



There is one other bird which I should wish to 



