BIRD PARADISE 123 



blessed "hath" to which all is given. Bird 

 Paradise, as I see it, at any time, at all times, 

 is the "house beautiful" always building, never 

 built. 



I conclude, from what I see and hear, that at 

 least two families of the large hen-hawks have 

 nested in the cedar swamp east of the village. I 

 hear their clear calls every pleasant day and 

 usually see them soaring high in the air. I have 

 thought that this species of hawk was gradually 

 lessening in numbers, but this year, and last also, 

 there appears to be a setting of the tide in the 

 opposite direction. They have some virtues, 

 though they are not well pronounced. Hawk 

 virtue savors of the quarry from whence it is 

 hewn and needs considerable pruning before it 

 can be given much of a place among the good 

 things of time. The old birds seem to live a sort 

 of solitary life. Their predatory habits alienate 

 them from all friendship with other birds. I like 

 the way this bird defends his home castle. Un- 

 like other birds he makes no noise about it. His 

 blows come first, and they are hearty and vigor- 

 ous. I remember an occasion when I was watch- 

 ing a nest of them in the old swamp years ago. 



