NATURE AND HER HARMONIES. 18 



happiness, keeping time with his wings as he flutters and 

 dives along, that one cannot help feeling he is about to go 

 all to pieces in his ecstasy ; be verily fragmented into sweet 

 sounds ! 



But no such thing ; he's a tough little preacher of cheerful- 

 ness, and holds together with all that riotous, jolly rantipole. 



Ah, how we have laughed on a spring morning, to wit- 

 ness his delirious bliss, as he went exhorting by, to his so- 

 berer neighbors, about love and sunshine, the dew and flow- 

 ers ; bugs and caterpillars too, no doubt ! 



" Hail to thee, blithe spirit !" thou embodied joy ! winged 

 laughter ! pleasant indeed is thy faith of mirth, and wiser 

 far than that of canting ! Mr. Audubon gives a felicitous 

 account of the funny, ingenious ways of this jollificating 

 Eeverend. 



" No sooner have they reached the portion of the country in 

 which they intend to remain during the time of raising their 

 young, than these birds exhibit all the liveliness and vivacity 

 belonging to their nature. The male is seen rising in the air 

 from ten to twenty yards in an indirect manner, jerking his 

 tail and body, flapping his wings, and singing with remark- 

 able impetuosity, as if under the influence of haste, and anx- 

 ious to return to the tree from which he has departed. He 

 accordingly descends with the same motions of the body and 

 tail, repeating his pleasing song as he alights. These gam- 

 bols and carollings are performed frequently during the day, 

 the intervals being employed in ascending or descending 

 along the branches and twigs of different trees, in search of 

 insects or larvas. In doing this, they rise on their legs, sel- 

 dom without jetting the tail, stretch the neck, seize the prey, 

 and emit a single note, which is sweet and mellow, although 

 in power much inferior to that of the Baltimore. At other 

 times, it is seen bending its body downwards, in a curved 

 posture, with the head gently inclined upwards, to peep at 

 the under parts of the leaves, so as not to suffer any grub to 

 escape its vigilance. It now alights on the ground, where it 



