82 ON FAIR CASCO BAY 



But hills and distance and lack of attrac- 

 tions had at the time of my study kept every 

 echo of the outside world from the wooded 

 portion, where, close beside the spruces, nes- 

 tles a solitary, old-fashioned cottage. 



Little of the dust of man's coming and 

 going reached that spot. On the only road 

 a half -worn path in the grass horse or 

 vehicle seldom appeared. Days passed with- 

 out sight of a person, and the woods were 

 almost as deserted as if there were not a soul 

 on the island. 



The earnest student who desires to get into 

 close sympathy with the birds and their 

 world, to enter into their lives, to under- 

 stand them, and be able to interpret them to 

 others, must know how to be happy away 

 from people. Nature will not reveal herself 

 to a crowd. It will cost him the single- 

 hearted devotion of a life. He must be alert 

 day and night, with ears tuned to every bird- 

 note, and eyes always awake to every rus- 

 tling leaf or flitting shadow. It will cost 

 sometimes the good will of people, who will 

 set him (or more especially her) down as 

 unsocial, not to say eccentric. 



