74 THE QUEST OF A THRUSH 



be close to us, yet they moved about so si- 

 lently that the most careful search with a 

 glass would not show one. Then later in 

 the day they threw off their early morning 

 reserve, and shouted their inquiries and bits 

 of advice across the tree-tops to one another, 

 with perfect abandon. 



Sometimes a bird took his stand on the 

 tip-top of a spruce, sang his usual phrases, 

 and between them uttered low " chacks " 

 and other notes, as I have heard the wood- 

 thrush, hermit, and tawny, " talk to them- 

 selves." 



The most fascinating of bird-utterances, to 

 me, are the low-toned ones not intended for 

 the world at large. Not " talk " between two, 

 neither notes of warning, nor of welcome, 

 but plainly soliloquies, murmurs, trills, gur- 

 gles, and other indescribable sounds, evi- 

 dently for their own enjoyment. Such I 

 often hear over my head or behind my back, 

 when I cannot stir without ending them. 

 The finest song, and the greatest variety of 

 shouts and calls to the general public, give 

 me not half the pleasure I feel when listening 

 to these contented and happy little strains 



