58 BIRD-LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



dream, and all the rough edges of life are for the 

 time being gently brushed away. The birds will 

 not require to be sought for ; they will warble 

 their joyous songs from the flower-flecked branches 

 overhead, and live their happy lives either ignorant 

 of your scrutiny or heedless of your presence. 

 Perhaps music may appeal most forcibly to our 

 sense of enjoyment first; and in truth there is no 

 lack of it on this warm May morning. With the 

 first glimpse of daybreak the Blackbirds and 

 Thrushes commenced the glorious concert, and 

 with the opening day bird after bird has been 

 joining in the general melody. Here and there 

 from the apple-trees the lusty voice of the Chaf- 

 finch greets the ear, whilst from the denser shade 

 the twittering song of the Greenfinch and the full 

 beautiful melody of the Blackcap mingle together 

 by no means inharmoniously. But the most 

 prominent musicians of the orchard are the 

 Thrushes. All the winter through the Missel 

 Thrush continues in finest voice, preferring to sit 

 high up in the tall elms standing in the orchard 

 hedge rather than on the lower fruit-trees. But 

 unfortunately the Missel Thrush loses his voice in 

 spring, and utters nothing but harsh grating cries 



