Songs of the Fields 



Katy-dids are immaculately clean, dainty in- 

 sects. No other member of the "hopper" group 

 moves with such calm deliberation. They have all 

 the time there is, and seem to know it. They never 

 hurry and are wholly lacking in the nervous energy 

 of the grasshopper, cricket, and locust. So very 

 deliberate are they that there is a possibility, fos- 

 tered by their constant wetting of the feet with a 

 mucus they eject, that walking is a difficult mat- 

 ter for them, and one to be accomplished only with 

 great caution. To my mind the katy-did is the 

 handsomest, the best musician, and the most inter- 

 esting of all insects anywhere near its family. 



From the frequent overflowing of the river, 

 that not only decays but washes away rails, one 

 side of my oat field is profaned by a short stretch The 

 of wire fence. This is to be forgiven only be- ^ nake 



. J Fence 



cause, as can be seen so clearly, it is necessary. 

 Then, too, it is in such a damp, shaded place that 

 no harm whatever results. The vines and bushes 

 almost cover the wire, and queer long-legged water 

 birds tilt and rock when they try to perch on it. 

 Where it escapes the river the old rail fence still 

 stands, and every year clothes it with richer beauty 

 and brings it alas! like all the remainder of the 

 world nearer the end. 



I have cause for quarrel with scientists who 

 named many of our flowers and vines. It seems 

 at times as if they tried themselves, as witness: 

 15 225 



