A Morning in May. 91 



general manner when at rest or walking, but 

 when it becomes a matter of positive identifi- 

 cation such minor details are not to be trusted ; 

 the risk is too great. Imitations too often 

 occur, as in bird-song. Birds that are not tree 

 creepers can creep over trees, and birds without 

 webbed feet can swim like a duck when neces- 

 sity requires it. 



It is apparent, from all this, that to be abroad 

 at sunrise is no blind man's holiday, the world 

 open only to our ears. There is ever much to 

 see as well as to hear ; but we stand, as it were, 

 on dangerous ground if moved to report all we 

 witness. Some one, neither able to see nor hear, 

 might, from the controversies arising, doubt if 

 either faculty was developed among his fellows. 



The enjoyment of watching birds comes from 

 our attempts to interpret their actions. We can 

 go but a little way. We know if a bird is eat- 

 ing or drinking, but when it is at rest the ques- 

 tion arises, Is it thinking ? It may be said that 

 the bird is strictly passive, and so only roused 

 to action by some external stimulant. It sees 

 an insect and pursues it ; but if no insects come 

 in sight for a protracted time, then, to avoid 



