XIII 

 EARLY MORNING STUDIES 



MY bedroom, when I woke this morning, 

 was full of bird-songs, which is the greatest 

 pleasure in life, says Robert Louis Steven- 

 son in one of his letters, thus expressing in 

 his own felicitous way the sentiments of bird- 

 lovers the world over. Few things in this 

 matter-of-fact existence are more delightful 

 than to be called out of dreamland by the 

 sweet voices of birds, and to lie half awake, 

 yet wholly conscious, to enjoy them, before 

 plunging into the storm and stress of our 

 daily lives. The morning-song is the most 

 cherished pleasure of the bird-lover's day. 



These early concerts are always interest- 

 ing, and nearly all of them are charming, but 

 it is not generally recognized that there is 

 great diversity among them. 



The study of our little brothers is made 

 peculiarly fascinating by the fact that they 

 show character and individuality in every 



