The Chorus of the Forest 



I think most of the tints of the rainhow are repre- 

 sented anion*"' them. Some are palest bhie-green, 

 decorated Mith straw color and lavender; others 

 are cowslip-yellow, with touches of maroon; some 

 are tan, with pink markings, and others terra eotta, 

 with canary-colored spots and gray lines. Some 

 are gray, with terra eotta half-moons; others are 

 Avine-red, Avith tan; all are of beautiful basic color, 

 speckled, dotted, lined, striped, and spotted with 

 bright harmonizing or contrasting designs on their 

 Avings of softest vehet doA\'n. Some have trans- 

 parent ovals so clear that fine jn-int can be read 

 through them, set in their wings, and most moths 

 are large as the average warbler. They sweep so 

 close that your face is sensitive to the disturbance 

 of air in their passing, but you hear no sound. 

 Their flight is soft and perfectly noiseless. 



The owl can afford to be of silent wing, it so 

 dominates the night with its voice. It would give 

 me great satisfaction if I had some way of know- 

 ing surely whether other birds sleej) serenely dur- 

 ing its A'ehement serenade either to the moon or to 

 a coveted mate, or whether they are awake and 

 shuddering with fear. 



I knoA\- how the heart of a frightened bird leaps 

 and throbs in its small breast, and I Avould be glad 

 to learn tliat they sleep soundly, but I doubt it. 

 They are aA\'ake and fluttering through the dark- 

 ness at sucli slight distiu-bance of other natvu-e. 



115 



