io8 NATURE'S STORY OF THE YEAR 



There is a momentary disturbance amongst the 

 leaves, a brief pursuit, and he returns victorious to 

 his perch. Now a blackbird sounds an alarm, and 

 the singer speeds away through a glade, but a 

 minute later he is back again, singing as before. 

 Approach the brambles, and the warning note 

 rings out. The mate flits from the tangle where 

 she has been warming into life the woodwrens of 

 another year, and as she flies turns her head to 

 look at you. Now, left alone, she has again 

 entered the bush, and the song is resumed. See, 

 the singer is preening himself within sight of her. 

 And why not ? She knows that he is not the less 

 ready to signal danger, and when suddenly his 

 head is raised and the yellow throat ruffled with a 

 song she may know that she is not forgotten. 



The song is not very melodious, yet it is 

 pleasing, and afterwards, in the shadows of the 

 city, where vice, misery, and degradation strive for 

 the mastery, memory may whisper in this tone 

 that in many a woodland glade are sunshine, song, 

 and peace where woodwrens glide among the 

 branches singing love-songs to their mates. 



