like gems. We parted the stems carefully and passed through, though it
seemed to us like wading in deep water, and, in spite of our caution, we
were well sprinkled from the dripping leaves. Just as we stepped out of
our green sea, the low calls we were trying to locate ceased. We walked
slowly on until we were attracted by a rustling in the dry leaves, and
then we turned to see two young thrushes foraging about in silence by
themselves. They were not very shy, but looked at us with innocent baby
eyes as we drew near and examined them. We saw the color and the
markings and the peculiar movement of the tail characteristic of the
hermit. There could be no doubt that these were hermit babies. We were
delighted to see them. I never feel that I know a bird family till I
have seen the young. But my pleasure was sadly marred by the reflection
that where there were babies must have been a nest and a singer, and we
had not heard his voice.
The last Sunday of my stay came, all too soon. It was a glorious day,
and, as usual, the two bird-lovers turned their steps toward the woods.
Everything seemed at rest and silent. We paused a while in a part of the
forest in which we had seen some strange phases of bird life, and had
christened the "Bewitched Corner." A gentle breeze set all the leaves to
fluttering; far off a woodpecker drummed his salute to his fellows;
beyond the trees we could hear the indigo bird singing; but nothing
about us was stirring. The wood-pewee was unheard, and even the vireo
seemed to have finished his endless song and gone his way.
We passed on a few rods to a favorite resting place of our daily rounds,
where my comrade always liked to stretch herself upon the big bole of a
fallen tree in the broad sunshine, and I to seat myself at the foot of
another tree in the shade. It was a spot
"where hours went their way
As softly as sweet dreams go down the night."
As we approached this place a sound reached us that struck us dumb; it
was a hermit thrush not far off. Silently we stole up the gentle hill
and seated ourselves.
"At last! at last!" I cried in my heart, as I leaned back against my
tree to listen.
Then the glorious anthem began again; it rose and swelled upon the air;
it filled the woods,--
"And up by mystical chords of song
The soul was lifted from care and pain."
Though not in sight, the bird was quite near, so that we heard every
note, so enchanting! so inimitable! For ten or fifteen minutes he poured
out the melody, while our hearts fairly stood still. Then he stopped,
and we heard the thrush "chuck" and the hermit call, which is different
from other thrushes, being something between a squawk and a mew. Whether
this were his conversation with his mate we could only guess, for we
dared not move, hardly indeed to breathe.
After a pause the bird began again, and for one perfect hour we sat
there motionless, entranced, and took our fill of his matchless
rhapsody. I longed inexpressibly to see the enchanter, though I dared
not stir for fear of startling him. Perhaps my urgent desire drew him;
at any rate he came at last within sight, stood a few minutes on the low
branch of a tree and looked at me, lifting and dropping his expressive
tail as he did so. Two or three low, rich notes bubbled out, as if he
had half a mind to sing to me; but he thought better of it and dived off
the branch into the bushes. We rose to go.
"This only was lacking," I said. "This crowns my summer. I ask no more,
and tomorrow I go."
INDEX.
American Goldfinch:
bewitching manners, 253.
devotion of the male, 255, 256.
difficulty of watching, 253.
nervous sitter, a, 256.
nest, a second, 252.
neat building, 248, 249, 251, 253.
nesting ways, 244, 254.
queer scenes, 245, 246, 247.
song, 257.
talk with me, a, 257.
tragedy again, 250.
wooing, 244, 247.
Black and White creeper, 110.
Black-throated Blue Warbler:
delight in nest, 166.
hard to study, 164.
nest and mate, 165.
song, 163.
studies me, 168.
vain search for, 169.
young, 170.
Bluejay, the young, 77.
appearance of, 89.
description of, 91.
food as bait, 93.
interest of neighbors, 95.
not afraid, 92.
old birds to the rescue, 94.
stray youngster, a, 93.
Bobolink, 139.
attack, 152.
cries, strange, 139, 140.
disturbed, 151.
manners, 139.
musical call, 153.
song, 141, 144.
wiles, 150.
Cedar Birds, 143.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, 184, 187.
adopted infant, 230.
Chipping Sparrow, 173.
Crow, the parents, 240, 242.
two sides to the question, 242.
the young, 236.
alighting, 238.
coaxing ways, 238.
cry, a strange, 237.
efforts to learn, 239.
experimenting in food, 240.
object lesson, an, 241.
Cuckoo, the Black Billed, 190.
curious performance, 194.
male, the, 192.
mother tactics, the, 199.
nest, 191.
nest deserted, 198.
relieving the sitter, 192.
sitting bird, the, 191.
struck dumb, 196.
ventriloquism, 192.
young, 194.
Curiosity of Birds, 4.
Golden-winged Woodpecker, or Flicker:
cry of young, 40, 44.
dress, 36.
feeding, 39, 40, 43.
flight of young, 46.
manners, 35, 38.
nest, 34.
nest deserted, 47.
preparing to leave, 42, 43, 45.
setting house in order, 101.
teaching the young, 134.
ventriloquism, 102.
young appear, 39.
Gray Squirrel:
cry of, 178.
poacher, 207.
Great-crested Fly-catcher, 227.
Hermit Thrush, 259.
search for, 262.
shyness of, 261.
song, 266.
voice, 259.
young, 265.
Humming Bird as poacher, 207.
Insects, destruction of, 18, 23.
Junco, nest, 132.
young, 133.
Kingbird:
bathing, 26.
character, 3, 12, 17.
curious antics, 232.
distinguishing marks, 14.
English sparrow annoyance, 12.
feeding, 21, 22, 25.
greeting to mate, 8.
nest of, 2.
nesting habits, 9, 20.
night perch, 14.
oriole encounter, 5.
preparing to sit, 7.
robin encounter, 6, 10.
sitting, 13.
song, 14.
treatment of young robin, 31.
young out, 17, 19.
Kingbird, the young:
appearance above the nest, 22.
attachment to each other, 24.
dress of, 25.
first flight, 28.
first night out of nest, 29.
last view, 32.
leaving the nest, 26.
migrating cry, 27, 29,
preparing for flight, 34.
reception of strangers, 30.
vireo impertinence, 31.
voice, 23.
Mephitis Family, 156.
Oven Bird, Golden Crowned Thrush:
accident to nest, 177.
good sense of, 178.
nest, 177.
song, 177.
Partridge, a sitting, 80.
Phoebe, 223.
manners, 224.
strange performance, 225.
Red-headed Woodpecker, 211, 223.
after berries, 215, 219.
comical attitudes, 216.
feeding on the ground, 212.
fly-catching, 217.
frolics of young, 219.
greeting to mate, 216.
insulted by robin, 214.
on the raspberries, 214.
poaching, 213.
robin surveillance, 216.
settling with the robin, 215.
young, 217.
Redstart
and chestnut-sided warbler, 184.
caution of, 54.
curiosity, 111.
description, 50.
hostility, 49.
in rain, 53.
nest, 49, 59.
nesting habits, 51, 58.
out of nest, 56.
out of shell, 53.
treatment of young, 55.
young identified, 189.
Red Squirrel, 234.
Robin, a saucy, 70.
morning song, 173.
on guard, 216.
special policeman, 226.
subdued, 37.
surveillance, 87.
takes a hint, 51.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 86.
Scarlet Tanager:
bathing, 161.
nest, 159.
shyness, 160.
young, 162.
Song Sparrow, 173.
Sparrow Hawk, 250.
Towhee Bunting, young, 105.
Veery, Wilson's Thrush:
bleating cry, 111.
calls and cries, 125.
cry of young, 107.
description of young, 113.
distress of parents, 120, 124, 126.
empty nest, 120.
friendliness, 126.
humorist, 127.
mother, the, 109.
nest destroyed, 117.
nest seeking, 115.
nests found, 116, 118, 119, 124.
solitude, love of, 125.
song, 99, 106, 260.
Warbler life, problems in, 184, 264.
Wood-pewee, 68.
nest, 131.
song, 70.
Wood-thrush, 260.
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, or Sapsucker, 173, 201.
drumming habit, 207.
food habits, 203.
frolics, 205.
manners, 203, 204.
nest, 209.
traps, 204.
voice, 202.
young, 135, 209, 210.
Young Birds:
black-throated blue warbler, 170.
bluebird, 72.
brown thrush, 61.
chestnut-sided warbler, 229.
crow, 236.
crow blackbird, 228.
cuckoo, 194.
downy woodpecker, 229.
hermit thrush, 265.
in rain, 175.
kingbird, 22, 232.
learning to flock, 68.
other young birds, 74, 233, 263.
out, 23.
red-headed woodpecker, 217, 233.
scarlet tanager, 162.
swallow, 65.
towhee bunting, 105.
veery, 113.
Wilson's thrush, 113.
woodpecker, 175.
wood-pewee, 71.
yellow-bellied woodpecker, 135, 209.
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