2 AN OPENING WORD 



pains the conscientious naturalist, but simply a 

 mental assimilation of sights and sounds. What is 

 seen and heard — things revealed to the eye and ear — 

 may awaken a delighted interest, but our thoughts 

 and fancies, stirred by what is partly revealed, have 

 a deeper charm. Following these suburban rambles 

 may yield the keen pleasure of observations verified. 

 And perhaps in the wayward ramblings a community 

 of fancy may be discovered more pleasant and more 

 fraternal than the kindred joy of disclosing nature's 

 guarded secrets. 



