Music of the Wild 



tlie sucking sobs of its rocking branches tliey have 

 comjjosed a song in harmony with their surround- 

 ings; but to our ears this music contains tlie notes 

 Avith whicli we express solitude, silence, and heart- 

 break. 



But tlie pe\vee knoA\s nothing of this. All day 



True lie sings, and all of the season, which proves him 



Forest .^ particularlv ]iai)pv bird, not dependent upon the 



Notes . ^ . . ■ , V ■ . ,. ^ ^ . 



intoxication ot the mating lever or encouraging 

 a brooding mate Avith his notes. lie sings as the 

 poet, because there is an all-the-time song in his 

 heart. In the great forest his notes fell to us 

 sloAvly and serenely; why should he bubble and gur- 

 gle like a bobolink? He of the majesty and soli- 

 tude of the forest! He of the high choir in the 

 house of tlie Almighty! I.ong-drawn, clear, ach- 

 ing Avith melody, through the solemn silence of the 

 forest, high aboA'e a'ou comes his "Pee-a-Avee," and 

 just A\'hen you are Avondering if that is all, he adds. 

 "Peer!" It is rather a stretch of the imagination 

 to call these notes a song; cry Avould seem closer, 

 but they are the sustained utterance of the bird. 

 His variations consist in re])etition, Avith different 

 modulation and in unecjual measure. 



I could detect tliat in the morning he hastened 

 a little, as if the business of life Avere too pressing 

 for the usual A\'ait betAveen notes. At noon. Avhen 

 all other birds A\ere droAvsy A\ith heat and scarcely 

 a song Avas heard, he broke the silence: and in the 



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