REVERIES. 23 



summer time on the islands, among the willows, birch 

 and maple, pushing himself along with youthful im- 

 petuosity and strength through the brush, over fallen 

 logs, perspiring under a July sun, seeking the saucy 

 woodcock. We see the bird escape from behind an old 

 pile of driftwood, dart to the top of the nearest tree, hear 

 the report of the gun, see the cock dart for the ground 

 again, then run skulking away to hide, while chagrin 

 is depicted on that young face. With setter he once 

 more finds the secreted bird ; we see the bird rise again 

 to glide over the tree tops ; hear again the report of the 

 gun but instead of the bird darting to the ground, run- 

 ning and hiding, the air is sprinkled with floating feath- 

 ers, the bird falls a victim to the youthful hunter's care- 

 ful aim No look of chagrin and disappointment now 

 o'erspreads his face. Instead, his eyes sparkle with 

 brilliancy, a quiet smile of confidence and satisfaction 

 plays around his mouth, as he fondly pats the head of 

 the setter who brings to him the dead bird. Perspir- 

 ing and thirsty, he walks over the fallen brush, among 

 willow twigs, and doffing his hat seats himself on an 

 old stump at the water's edge. Ever on the alert, he 

 glances up and down the stream, knowing that a pair 

 of green-winged teal may drop in unannounced. A 

 dark shadow flits before him ; looking hastily around, he 

 sees alighting in the soft mud within thirty feet of him, 

 a magnificent woodcock. Mirabile visu! He now has 

 an opportunity to watch unperceivecl this sagacious 

 bird. The sun shining on its dusky plumage, the 

 woodcock appears in all its wild freedom. Tt looks up 

 and down the shore, gently shakes itself, then, as if 

 an ardent admirer of its own beauty, struts backward 

 and forward; now it delicately inserts its bill into the 



