BIRDS 
69 
of wit or eloquence. Was he a prince in 
the olden time, and do the regal grace 
and mien still adhere to him in his trans¬ 
formation? What a finely proportioned 
form! How plain, yet rich his color,— 
the bright russet of his back, the clear 
white of his breast, with the distinct 
heart-shaped spots! It may be objected 
to Robin that he is noisy and demonstra¬ 
tive; he hurries away or rises to a branch 
with an angry note, and flirts his wings 
in ill-bred suspicion. The Mavis, or Red 
Thrush, sneaks and skulks like a culpnt, 
hiding in the densest Alders; the Cat- 
Bird is a coquette and a flirt, as well as 
a sort of female Paul Pry; and the Che- 
wink shows his inhospitality by spying 
upon every one of your movements. The 
Wood-Thrush has none of these under¬ 
bred traits. He regards me unsuspic¬ 
iously, or avoids me with a noble reserve, 
—or, if I am quiet and incurious, grac¬ 
iously hops toward me, as if to pay his 
respects, or to make my acquaintance. 
Pass near his nest, under the very branch, 
within a few feet of his mate and brood, 
and he opens not his beak; he concedes 
