The Birds’ Calendar 
seems an unreasonable assumption, there must 
be numerous adaptations of structure to life, 
and much significance of coloring, too, in the 
animal and vegetable kingdoms, which we do 
not dream of as yet. If everything in nature 
is reasonable, and the definition of beauty be 
true, that it is ‘‘ Reason expressed in form,’’ 
then the monstrous bill of the pelican, the 
excrescence of the marabou stork, and the 
hump of the camel must challenge our exceed- 
ing admiration. 
The most familiar of this secluded family, at 
least as regards the sound of its voice, is the 
wood pewee, that utters its plaintive, upward- 
inflected note throughout the day, and even 
quite far into the night, in the lonely woods. 
Its olive-brown back and dingy-white breast 
do not make it a conspicuous object, so that it 
is much oftener heard than seen; and yet it is 
not difficult to find it, as it will remain a long 
time in one spot, at short intervals repeating its 
sigh, and it is not so timid as to withdraw 
itself hastily when one approaches it. 
There is a delicious sadness in this note of 
the pewee, like a minor chord interposed in 
the predominating jubilant major strains of the 
forest choir. It voices the spirit of silent and 
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