PREFACE. ix 



frightened creature whose wild eyes betray the fear 

 that we are a deadly enemy ; and with what comfort- 

 ing assurance we hasten to say, " No, you are greatly 

 mistaken, I bear you no ill ; I am your friend." If 

 only the poor thing could know that, how much hap- 

 pier the world would wag on ! 



One feels just a bit of exiiltant pleasure when one 

 sees the little wild thing approach, timidly accept a 

 proffered nut or a crust of bread, and actually eat it 

 within reaching distance. I recall with no small 

 feeling of satisfaction the time when, idly paddling 

 my canoe beside the ,^^^ river bank, I met 

 a great blue heron slow- ^'^^^v^ V strolling 



along the sandy margin, ^^^^^^. and 



remained beside him for fully ^x^^^^ 

 twenty minutes an acceptable com- \\^^^^ 

 panion. Nor do I forget the time \\^^A*' 

 when I approached, softly whistling the w ^w 

 while, a brown heron standing motion- \ ^ "' 

 less on the meadow, and got so near him 

 that I could see the round shape of his eye as plain- 

 ly as I have drawn it here. There is a certain 

 charm in music for the wild animals. I have whis- 

 tled by the half hour to the hermit thrush and have 

 received an appreciative and cordial response ; the 

 veery grows quite excited if I imitate his spiral 

 song; the red squirrel sits transfixed if I play for 



