Part 28

Musing upon this and other mysteries, I followed my friend up the familiar paths one day, looking for some young birds whose strange cries we had noted. It was a gray morning, and all the tree trunks were grim and dark, with no variety in coloring. The sounds we were following led us through some unused roads entirely grown up with jewel-weed, part of it five feet high, and thickly hung with the yellow flower from which it takes its name.

It had rained in the night, and every leaf was adorned with minute drops 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.