DECEMBER 



31 



Going along the turnpike I look over to the pitch 

 pines on Moore's hillside, and it strikes me that 

 this pine, take the year round, is the most cheerful 

 tree and most living to look at and have about 

 your house, it is so sunny and full of light. . . . 

 The deciduous trees are apparently dead and the 

 white pine is much darker, but the pitch pine has 

 an ingrained sunniness and is especially valuable 

 for imparting warmth to the landscape at this sea- 

 son. 



THOREAU: Early Spring in Massachusetts. 



We skate near to where the blackbird, the 

 pewee, and the kingbird hung their nests over the 

 water, and the hornets builded from the maple in 

 the swamp. How many gay, warblers, following 

 the sun, have radiated from this nest of silver-birch 

 and thistledown. On the swamp's outer edge was 

 hung the supermarine village, where no foot pene- 

 trated. In this hollow tree the wood duck reared 

 her brood, and slid away each day to forage in 

 yonder fen. 



THOREAU: Excursions. 



