80 
BIRDS 
had completed his downfall, and quiet 
had been partially restored, a half- 
fledged member of the bereaved house¬ 
hold came out from his hiding-place, and, 
jumping upon a decayed branch, chirped 
vigorously, no doubt in celebration of the 
victory. What the emotions of the par¬ 
ent birds were, on seeing their destroy¬ 
er's head so thoroughly bruised, and a 
part of their little ones at least spared to 
them, I can only conjecture; but I imag¬ 
ined the news spread immediately, and 
that my praises as the deliverer were sung 
in that neighborhood ever after. 
Till the middle of July there is a gen¬ 
eral equilibrium; the tide stands poised; 
the holiday-spirit is unabated. But as 
the harvest ripens beneath the long, hot 
days, the melody gradually ceases. The 
young are out of the nest and must be 
cared for, and the moulting season is at 
hand. After the Cricket has commenced 
to drone his monotonous refrain beneath 
your window, you will not, till another 
season, hear the Wood-Thrush in all his 
matchless eloquence. The Bobolink has 
become careworn and fretful, and blurts 
