THE MASTERS OF MELODY. 91 



had sought refuge under a projecting ledge of stone, 

 as if the wren and its companions had threatened 

 these out-of-season birds with destruction. I learned 

 on that occasion that the vocabulary of this same 

 Carolina wren was very considerable. It did not, as 

 usual, repeat some pet phrase over and over again, 

 but exhausted every variation of expression of which 

 it was capable. Had I not been watching the bird, its 

 identification would have been difficult. But 



Cat-birds. 



with the coming of May and the return of the migrants, 

 the cat-bird assumes its position among them and is 

 then no coward. Though it could not possibly be 

 more plainly colored, this bird is an ornament to 

 May. It is a bearer of glad tidings, and when moved 

 to express its feelings, to give tongue to the emotions 



