A Bouquet of Song Birds 



and found it not so populous with birds, nor so 

 beautiful with flowers, but, in the general tem- 

 per of the scene, not less attractive than the 

 smaller and less diversified region in West 

 Englewood. 



The pleasure and success of this visit were not 

 altogether derived from what I saw and heard, 

 but were partly due to the fact that my own 

 spirit was attuned to the prevailing mood of this 

 exultant month — I was en rapport with dame 

 Nature, and could sing with the poet, 



" The fields, the floods, the heavens, with one consent, 

 Did seem to laugh on me, and favor mine intent," 



and all things tipped the "merry wink of in- 

 vitation. ' ' 



I had hardly left the train when my ear 

 caught an augury of good fortune — the clear, 

 full whistle of the meadow lark, concealed 

 within the grass of an adjoining field. This 

 cannot truthfully be called a song ; but, when 

 uttered with all the animation that is crowded 

 into May, it is one of the most encouraging 

 and inspiriting calls of Nature. Entering the 

 woods beyond, I found the trees alive with 

 various species of warblers, the Blackburnian ■ 

 being the brightest of the train. 'This can 



31 



