206 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



verdure of foliage in many shades, and harmonious 

 grouping and blending of floral hues, best suit my 

 present enervated condition* I had, I imagine, a 

 swarter skin and firmer flesh when I could ride all 

 day over great summer-parched plains, where there 

 was not a bush that would have afforded shelter to a 

 mannikin, and think that I was having a pleasant 

 journey. The cloudless sky and vertical sun how 

 intolerable they would now seem, and scorch my 

 brain and fill my shut eyes with dancing flames ! 

 At present even this mild June sun is strong enough 

 to make the old mulberry tree on the lawn appear 

 grateful. It is an ancient rough-barked tree, with 

 wide branches, that droop downwards all round, 

 and rest their terminal leaves on the sward ; under- 

 neath it is a natural tent, or pavilion, with plenty of 

 space to move about and sling a hammock in. Here, 

 then, I have elected to spend the hottest hours of my 

 one golden day, reading, dreaming, listening at inter- 

 vals to the fine bird-sounds that have a medicinal and 

 restorative effect on the jarred and wounded sense. 



From the elms hard by comes a subdued, airy 

 prattle of a few sparrows. It is rather pleasant, 

 something like a low accompaniment to the notes 

 of the more tuneful birds ; the murmurous music 

 of a many-stringed instrument, forming the indis- 

 tinct ground over which runs the bright embroidery 

 of clear melodious singing. 



