178 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



2. There is nothing plaintive or especially musical in 

 his performance, but the sentiment expressed is eminently 

 that of cheerfulness. Indeed, the songs of most birds have 

 some human significance, which, I think, is the source of 

 the delight we take in them. The sung of the bobolink, 

 to me, expresses hilarity ; the song-sparrow's, faith ; the 

 bluebird's, love ; the cat-bird's, pride ; the white-eyed fly- 

 catcher's, self-consciousness ; that of the hermit-thrush, 

 spiritual serenity ; while there is something military in the 

 call of the robin, and unalloyed contentment in the warble 

 of the red-eyed vireo. 



3. Passing down through the maple arches, barely 

 pausing to observe the antics of a trio of squirrels — two 

 gray ones and a black one — 1 cross an ancient brush-fence 

 and am fairly within the old hemlocks, and in one of the 

 most primitive, undisturbed nooks. In the deep moss I 

 tread as with muffled feet, and the pupils of my eyes dilate 

 in the dim, almost religious light. The irreverent red 

 squirrels, however, run and snicker at my approach, or 

 mock the solitude with their ridiculous chattering and 

 frisking. 



4. This nook is the chosen haunt of the winter wren. 

 This is the only place, and these are the only woods, in 

 which I find him in this vicinity. His voice fills these dim 

 aisles, as if aided by some marvelous sounding-board. In- 

 deed, his song is very strong for so small a bird, and unites 

 in a remarkable degree brilliancy and plaintiveness. I think 

 of a tremulous, vibrating tongue of silver. You may know 

 that it is the song of a wren from its gushing, lyrical char- 

 acter ; but you must needs look sharp to see the little min- 

 strel, especially while in the act of singing. He is nearly the 

 color of the ground and the leaves ; he never ascends the 

 tall trees, but keeps low, flitting from stump to stump, 

 and from root to root, dodging in and out of his hiding- 

 places, and watching all intruders with a suspicious eye. 



