Lake George 



enthusiastic thrill. He is one of the very few 

 species in whose case I fear that, when they 

 come to judgment, they will ignominiously 

 draw forth a few fresh, unused napkins, neatly 

 wrapping up some latent talents. 



It is a peculiarity of this thrush that his tone, 

 which near at hand sounds faint and veiled, 

 seems to be magnified by distance. It is also 

 noticeable what a carrying, and almost re-en- 

 forcing, power there is in water; and it is one 

 of the finest of musical effects, as one rows on 

 the lake, a little way from shore, to hear, in the 

 quietness of sea and sky, that distant rich and 

 rippling triplet phrase so characteristic and 

 seemingly touched with the lake's own placid 

 atmosphere, giving the scene a vital beauty and 

 a vocal climax that escape the painter's art. A 

 liquid, thrushy quality of tone has peculiar 

 affinity with such a scene. 



An unusual sight in mid-summer is the her- 

 ring-gull — essentially a maritime bird of the far 

 north, and only wintering in the States. Yet 

 now and then he is to be found at the larger in- 

 land waters during the breeding season, a pair 

 having evidently concluded to summer at Lake 

 George. It doubtless requires some individual- 

 ity of bird character, being so gregarious as 

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