20 Twelve Months With 



It is not necessary to go far into the fields or 

 deep into the woods to see many of our finest 

 birds. " 'Tis Eden everywhere to hearts that listen." 

 And it is by no means essential to a real enjoy- 

 ment of our birds that one should be a scientific 

 student of orders, families, and all the rest of the 

 technical lore of the professional ornithologist, 

 nor even to be able to identify all the birds that 

 he may see. If he only sees and hears them, it 

 is enough. For those whose hearts listen when 

 they are in the fields or woods, no bird will rise 

 to its perch without being seen and enjoyed, and 

 no bird will utter its call or sing its song, how- 

 ever soft or ventriloquous, without its being heard 

 and loved. 



Emerson's lines are still true: 



"Many haps fall in the field 

 Seldom seen by wishful eyes 

 But all her shows did Nature yield, 

 To please and win this pilgrim wise. 

 He saw the partridge drum in the woods ; 

 He heard the woodcock's evening hymn; 

 He found the tawny thrushes' broods; 

 And the shy hawk did wait for him ; 

 What others did at distance hear, 

 And guessed within the thicket's gloom, 

 Was shown to this philosopher, 

 And at his bidding seemed to come." 



One may live and enjoy life without being able 

 to identify many of the more uncommon birds, 



