A HERMIT FOR THE DAY. 



239 



I longed for hawks at the rate of one every ten 

 minutes at least ; so firmly fixed is one's desire 

 for adventure. But the hawks came not. In- 

 stead, that matchless songster of sweet sum- 

 mer days appeared, and made the woods ring 

 with his sharp metallic " click." How I longed 

 for his May-day melodies ! But no, he chirped 

 and teazed ; and then, as if ashamed, warbled 

 a few faultless notes, and away he sped. The 

 whole host of finches caught the magic of that 

 song, and every white throat whistled at his best. 

 Up from the woods rose a swelling volume of 

 sweet sound that should have bid murder pause. 

 It only brought destruction upon their heads 

 again. A rush of wings, a dark streak across 

 the sky, and every bird was silent. But their 

 plans varied in this. When the danger had passed 

 they seemed of one accord too insecure at 

 this spot, and left me to my meditations. Here 

 again was a noticeable feature of bird life. 

 Either each group had its leader, or every indi- 

 vidual was at the same moment impelled by a 

 like thought to seek safety, and all in one direc- 

 tion. This is improbable, and certainly the 

 fact of like species flocking indicates that they 

 find good in association and have means of com- 

 munication, for, without some sort of language, 

 flocking would be a source of danger. This has 

 been shown, however, time and again. Birds 



