PREFACE. ix 



had to draw the line somewhere, and as a consequence 

 the bright-winged, sweet-songed redstart, and the 

 graceful, clucking American cuckoo, which, by the 

 way, is not a bit like its European relative, for it does 

 not steal a march on otlier birds' nests — these fell on 

 the other side of the line ! 



The record of the music of Swainson's thrush is 

 meager but reliable ; that of the hermit thrush does 

 full justice to his musical thirds but not to his bril- 

 liant fifths. The song sparrow, with the prominent 

 spot in the middle of his breast which is easily dis- 

 tinguished by the aid of the opera glass, is fairly rep- 

 resented by his music ; the other sparrows are legion, 

 and would require a volume for anything like a com- 

 plete record. One of them, however, is separated 

 from, all the rest by the simple and striking character 

 of his song. The white-throated sparrow, or Peabody 

 bird, as he is called, is an extremely interesting little 

 fellow who, if we respond to his call, will follow us 

 for a mile or more, singing from treetop to treetop ; 

 and those who are willing to undertake the arduous 

 climb through Tuckerman's Eavine at the foot of 

 Mount Washington for the sake of a charming bit of 

 bird music and grand mountain scenery will be amply 

 repaid for their toilsome jaunt by some of his sweet- 

 est melodies. 



I desire to express my grateful acknowledgments 



