Music of the Wild 



the forest is not over the open wood, but it has 

 great attractions of its own. To most people who 

 fancy they are "roughing it" the woods are emi- 

 nently satisfactory, and as far as they care to pen- 

 etrate. 



In the woods you are sure to be close a road, 

 and you know there are almost constant passers-by, 

 in case anything annoys you. You can see your 

 way far ahead, and Avalk on solid foothold, padded 

 with thickly gro^^ing grass like a lawn. You can 

 lie safely on a green couch with a tree for a back 

 rest. For atmosphere you find a hint of forest 

 pungency and coolness ^vithout the damp, mucky 

 odor. 



The music of the woods is verj^ different from 

 the forest. The insects are much the same, but 

 The -widely scattered, so that their songs lack volume. 

 Chorus j^g birds are not of the same voice and habit, and 

 Woods it homes other animals. Tree music is entirely dif- 

 ferent. The density of the forest dissipates the 

 force of even heav}^ wind, and the intricacy of the 

 branches divides it into wailing, sobbing murmurs 

 of sound. In the woods the winds can blow with 

 might, and meet much less obstruction, so that the 

 harp music is higher of tone, grander in sweep, 

 longer in measure, with more of an instrumental 

 swell. 



Nut trees are spared almost universally in 

 clearing, so they are numerous and easy to find, 



128 



