THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS. 27 



the cat-bird is a coquette and a flirt, as well as a sort 

 of female Paul Pry ; and the chewink shows his in- 

 hospitality by espying your movements like a Japanese. 

 The wood-thrush has none of these under-bred traits. 

 He regards me unsuspiciously, or avoids me with a 

 noble reserve, — or, if I am quiet and incurious, gra- 

 ciously hops toward me, as if to pay his respects, or 

 to make my acquaintance. I have passed under his 

 nest within a few feet of his mate and brood, when 

 he sat near by on a branch, eying me sharply, but 

 without opening his beak ; but the moment I raised 

 my hand toward his defenseless household his anger 

 and indignation were beautiful to behold. 



What a noble pride he has ! Late one October, after 

 his mates and companions had long since gone south, 

 I noticed one for several successive days in the dense 

 part of this next-door wood, flitting noiselessly about, 

 very grave and silent, as if doing penance for some 

 violation of the code of honor. By many gentle, in- 

 direct approaches, I perceived that part of his tail- 

 feathers were undeveloped. The sylvan prince could 

 not think of returning to court in this plight, — and 

 so, amid the falling leaves and cold rains of autumn, 

 was patiently biding his time. 



The soft, mellow flute of the veery fills a place in 

 the chorus of the woods that the song of the vesper- 

 sparrow fills in the chorus of the fields. It has the 

 nightingale's habit of singing in the twilight, as indeed 

 have all our thrushes. Walk out toward the forest in 



