60 



JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



friends, and brought us into a closer 

 touch with their ways and lives. We 

 have- thrown away all care and had a 

 day of enjoyment such as only those 

 can appreciate who love the beautiful 

 and enjoy getting deep into the heart 

 of nature and her many strange ways. 

 J. MERTON SWAIN. 



*Read before the Maine Ornithologi- 

 cal Society at Augusta, Nov. 30, 1901. 



THE SONG OFTHETHISTLE-FINCH 



As I lay in my hammock musing 

 Over the cares that were hedging 

 my way. 

 Sad thoughts within me refusing 

 Sweet peace from the waning of 

 day. 



There passed in the twilight darken- 

 ing, 



A bird with a gladsome song; 

 My spirit within me hearkening, 



The hopes of my soul grew strong. 



A thistle-finch sang in the gloaming 

 A song that was clear as a bell; 



And the thoughts that in sadness were 

 roaming, 

 Were stilled as if under a spell. 



The sky hung in silence above me, 

 The bird passed between in its 

 flight, 



It sang how the Father did love me, 

 And the darkening day grew bright. 



For the song was glad in its ringing, 

 Alone in the still, upper air, 



New strength to my spirit bringing, 

 Lie the comfort that follows 

 prayer. 



The bird sang as it flew, and swift 



its flying, — 

 Sweet waves of its song and its 



flight; 

 The day in the West was still dying. 



But the heart that was in me grew 

 light. 



It flew as it sang ;in clear notes of 

 gladness 

 It poured forth its soul to the sky; 

 Sing, heart, at thy toil, in joy or in 

 sadness, 

 The day never-ending is nigh. 



Dear bird of glad song, to thee do 1 

 render 

 All thanks for thy mesage nf cheer, 

 Then onward again with true heart 

 and tender, 

 Whether come a smile or a tear. 

 A. L. LANE. 



OUR SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 



As the time draws near for our next 

 annual meeting, it seems proper to 

 make this the most profitable conven- 

 tion of the society. 



We are all busy with the cares of 

 life, and some of us live at consider- 

 able distance from Portland. Yet no 

 one who has attended our meetings in 

 the past has failed to find ample com- 

 pensation for every sacrifice made. 

 This was particularly true of the 

 Augusta meeting last year, and every 

 one who inspected Mr. Noble's beauti- 

 ful collection and listened to the pa- 

 pers, went home full of inspiration to 

 do more careful work in the future. 



The meetings this year will be held 

 in the rooms of the Portland society 

 of Natural History and this fact alone 

 should insure a full attendance. 



In view of the fact that every num- 

 ber of our Journal this year has stated 

 that the seventh annual meeting would 

 be held in Portland on the Friday and 

 Saturday following Thanksgiving, it 

 does not seem necessary to reiterate 

 that statement. 



