WHERE BIRDS ROOST. Iig 



mentioned, seek little hollows in the ground for 

 bed-chambers, usually sheltered by grass tufts. 



Long before day, one April morning, I made my 

 way to the marsh so frequently mentioned in this 

 volume. The moon was shining brightly in the 

 southern sky. Early as it was — for as yet there 

 was no sign of daybreak — the silvery trills of the 

 song-sparrows rose from the bushes like a votive 

 offering to the Queen of Night. From one part of 

 the swamp a sweet song would ring out on the 

 moonlit air, and would at once be taken up by an- 

 other songster not far away. Then another would 

 chime in, and another, until the whole enclosure 

 was filled with the antiphonal melody. A silence 

 would then fall upon the marsh like a dream-spirit, 

 to be broken soon by another outburst of min- 

 strelsy ; and thus the nocturne continued until day 

 broke, and it merged into the glad matin service. 



But my object is to tell about bird roosts rather 

 than about bird music. When I reached the 

 farther end of the marsh, several sparrow songs 

 came up from the ground. I walked with a ten- 

 tative purpose toward a spot whence a song came, 

 when the little triller sprang up affrighted. The 

 same experiment with a number of other songsters 

 brought a like result in each case, proving beyond 

 doubt, I think, that at least some of the song- 

 sparrows roost on the ground, and begin theii 

 matins before they rise from their couches, so 

 anxious are they to put in a full day of song. 



On the same morning — it was still before day- 



