of pine, nor the leaves of oaks ; but they knew the 

 difference in the quality of the wood well enough, 

 because that appealed to their interest and held 

 their attention. 



Preparedness adds zest to the walk and enriches 

 it, precisely as a broad culture and a fund of in- 

 formation enlarge the view of the traveler. Not- 

 withstanding what may be in the woods, it takes 

 some understanding and some interest to see it. 

 An unprepared person will see little; an uninter- 

 ested person will see nothing. To many of the 

 villagers the wood-lot is a remote and unfamiliar 

 wilderness, and the warblers and vireos as unknown 

 as any tropic bird. We should at least know the 

 kinglets by their caste-mark — whether it be red 

 or yellow — and the oriole by the colors of his 

 ancient line. 



Given a certain preparedness even the rocks 

 become instindl with suggestion. They are more 

 than stone, — even historical reminders, which in- 

 cite one to long and pleasing trains of thought. 

 In the mountains I came upon a flat ledge of 

 shale which showed ripple marks of an earlier sea 

 than any we know, a far-off Devonian ocean which 

 once washed this primitive beach. They had long 



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