IMPRESSIONS OF SOME ENG 



strains heard in the cool dewy morning from across 

 that translucent sheet of water, was indeed memor- 

 able. Its liquid and serene melody was in such per- 

 fect keeping with the scene. The eye and the ear 

 both reported the same beauty and harmony. Then 

 the clear rich fife of the grosbeak from the top of the 

 tallest trees, the simple flute-like note of the veery, 

 and the sweetly ringing, wildly lyrical outburst of the 

 winter wren, sometimes from the roof of our butter- 

 nut-colored tent all joining with it formed one 

 of the most noteworthy bits of a bird symphony it has 

 ever been my good luck to hear. Often at sun-down, 

 too, while we sat idly in our boat, watching the trout 

 break the glassy surface here and there, the same 

 soothing melody would be poured out all around us 

 and kept up till darkness filled the woods. The last 

 note would be that of the wood-thrush, calling out 

 " quit" " quit" Across there in a particular point, 

 I used at night to hear another thrush, the olive- 

 backed, the song a slight variation of the veery's. I 

 did hear in England in the twilight, the robin, black- 

 bird and song -thrush unite their voices, producing 

 a loud, pleasing chorus ; add the nightingale and 

 you have great volume and power, but still the pure 

 melody of my songsters by the lake is probably not 

 reached. 



