122 OUT WITH THE BIRDS 



short after the preliminary " Ah." The white- 

 throats and their ever-present Harris cousins 

 put in the little professional touches minor 

 notes of wondrous sweetness while the fox 

 sparrow, always so sparing with his gifts, tuned 

 up but a time or two. 



Two wrens exploded vociferously every few 

 moments, apparently as often as they could get 

 the necessary breath in their diminutive bodies; 

 and then not to be entirely outdone, the thrasher 

 mounted to the poplar-tip and poured forth his 

 wonderful song. But for some reason, he sang 

 but once. Perhaps it was that he thought there 

 were no lady thrashers at hand to hear, or per- 

 haps but who could know? And underneath 

 it all was a pleasing alto part played by the 

 booming of the pinnated grouse. They were 

 out on the meadows a mile distant, but won- 

 derful sound! Its soft and swelling crescendos 

 were as much a part of the thicket chorus as if 

 the singers had been at the margin of the wood. 



A time of greetings are the mid-May days- 

 days of bright sun and growing things, and 

 coming of bird friends; a time when woods and 

 thickets again resound with voices which have 

 been silent for long, long months. By day and 



