62 NEW HAMPSHIRE 



last week, I am told, in the midst of a driving 

 snowstorm, one took shelter in the Summit House 

 on Mount Washington. After aU, a butterfly is 

 not exactly a fool ; it knows enough to go into 

 the house when it snows. 



Now I come upon a few snowbirds, hopping 

 in sUence about the twigs of a brush-heap, snap- 

 ping their tails nervously, as if proud to show 

 the white feather ; and shortly beyond are two 

 or three white-throated sparrows. They also are 

 silent. Perhaps they perceive that a red squirrel 

 close by is talking enough for them and him- 

 self too. He says a good many things, some of 

 which I feel sure would be highly interesting to 

 a competent listener. Among forest folk, as 

 among church folk, the rule is, " He that hath 

 ears to hear, let him hear." As for me, I can 

 only lament my deficiency. A solitary vireo is 

 chattering sweetly (with him music is its own 

 reward), and aU the while, whoever else speaks 

 or keeps silehce, the nuthatch chorus goes on. 

 Taking New England together, we may safely 

 say that just at present hundreds of thousands, 

 yea, millions of ank-anks go up to heaven every 

 minute of every day, from sunrise to sunset. 



I walk but a few rods farther before I am de- 

 lighted by the sight of four winter wrens in an 

 overturned tree -top. In my experience it is some- 



