MINOR SONGSTERS. 161 



but although the same has been reported of the 

 bluebird, I have never myself seen such a thing, 

 and am satisfied that, as a rule, this gentle spirit 

 finds a family party of six or seven company 

 enough. His reticence, as we cheerfully admit, 

 is nothing to quarrel with ; it is all well-bred, 

 and not in the least unkindly ; in fact, we like 

 it, on the whole, rather better than the robin's 

 pertness and garrulity ; but, none the less, its 

 natural consequence is that the bird has small 

 concern for musical display. When he sings, 

 it is not to gain applause, but to express his af- 

 fection ; and while, in one aspect of the case, 

 there is nothing out of the way in this, since 

 his affection need not be the less deep and true 

 because it is told in few words and with un- 

 adorned phrase, yet, as I said to begin with, 

 it is hard not to feel that the world is being de- 

 frauded, when for any reason, however amiable, 

 the possessor of such a matchless voice has no 

 ambition to make the most of it. 



It is always a double pleasure to find a plod- 

 ding, humdrum-seeming man with a poet's heart 

 in his breast ; and a little of the same delighted 

 surprise is felt by every one, I imagine, when 

 he learns for the first time that our little brown 

 creeper is a singer. What life could possibly 

 be more prosaic than his ? Day after day, year 

 in and out, he creeps up one tree-trunk after 

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