The Birds’ Calendar 
Nature’s effects are produced with consum- 
mate skill, although we may be tempted now 
and then to think the lines are crude and clumsy ; 
and when she created the Canada goose she 
was evidently fearful that our ears might be sur- 
feited with superabundance of mellifluous de- 
lectability. The vocal organs of this bird are as 
complete a check to such satiety as one could 
imagine. A pair of these creatures (a part of 
the floating assets of the Park), with music un- 
doubtedly in their hearts, although it gets ex- 
cruciatingly snarled up in their throats, frequent- 
ly have a ‘‘ fine frenzy’’ come over them, when 
it becomes quite useless to listen for anything 
more delicate than a crow-symphony. One of 
them in particular, probably the male, accom- 
panies the serenade with such remarkable writh- 
ings and jerkings of his long neck, as to make 
the beholder fear that there are junks of sound 
sticking in his windpipe, and he is in danger of 
choking ; but finding that no evil results ensue, 
he finally attributes these convulsions to ex- 
uberance of feeling. It must be confessed that 
such vociferation, relieved by picturesque sur- 
roundings, and mellowed by distance, creates a 
novel and poetic impression—one of nature’s 
harsh but vigorous and essential undertones. 
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