The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-18

that spring had come and the frost-kinss
reign was al am end. l have not heard
his victory note"
would not slight my old favorite
"rohin-redhreast whose melody was
simple. but made in his heart, as familiar
as The song of The hen and the crow Of
chanticleer. Who that has memories of
home. I'm younger. better days, can forget
him. and his nest i'm the apple-tre.. where
bees. with drowy hum. gathered honey
in the sweet June days? lie, too, Is not
here.
II may be that in the groves remote from
the walks and dwellings OF men, Gods
first temples" these beautiful and inter-
csting creatures. which can. and gladly
would make so much Of the poetry and
music Of creation. are still found. II so.
] would / We're near them, for swecter is
their symphony than any made by or
chestra. because il breathes Of mother.
home and hcayen."-Richard Irby. In
Christian Advocate.
Ashland. Va.
The notes published IN a recent number
Of The Advocate having interested some
of your reaiers. 1 venture TO give a Few
more.
This typical June afternoon ! am en-
joylng Otium rest after the hurly-bufly
of Commencement. under the shade or
my spreading oak Blessed is lne
man who has such q shade and can ENJOY
10. ] am listening 10 hear the notes Of
singing birds. The "cheep' of the "Isi-
maelite' is never silent. ! catch the note
of the blue-fneh. who has come in from
The open field fo cheer us denizens Of the
town. Ife is blue. but not the blue-bifd
referred TO in my other paper lie be-
longs TO the gro 0eak tribe, and has
different note and different form. and
different shade VI blue. He is summer
bird, and leaves us when winter is COM
ing Not so the blue-bird. lie used TO
stay tie year round. until winter before
last the long season of snow ami Ice cN-
terminated him. ! have often been struck
with his far-seeing vision. From Oh top
Of q fence rail or mullen stalk bee would
ny for twenty steps or more 20 pick up
some worm or bug. which be evidently
saw plainly before Doe left his perch /
was in my garden once and saw one fly
for some distance 90 light near one ]
was curious 10 lind ont what Doc came for.
and saw him pick up hsh-worm. which
with others in great haste were coming
up through the cracs, ln ihe earth made
/ by a mole who was evidently seeking a
breakfast. and the worm only escaped
his four-logged enemy 10 fan o. prey 90
/ the bird Some one has said hc mover
! heard the liquid notes of the blle-bird.
/ lie has then. something 90 hear. n his
car is apureciatiyc ! think this bird and
| the field meadow lark are remarkable
| FOR making their sweetest notes ON the
/ wing Milton has made The lark immor-
tai in his description of him singing as
! he scars" the embodiment of praise 20 The
/ Creator Of all.
wonder if this quiet eve the wood
! thrush is trilling boz The deep wood? All.
DE can trill beyond amy human tongue
! and ring out a note tO make the dew
drops on the leaves tremblc with music
! Dcnizens Of the city know not this male
/ Jennie Lind ~ the wild wood, for this
! bird is the most retiring of his race. Rare
| ly very rarely. does Doe approach The
| hahitat0n OF man. and then only very
| carly in the mOmilg SO retired is be
! for 10 is the male that makes the music
/ that few people know him or the tribe
| TO which hc belongs. only last week /
| heard a teacher OF long experience call
| bin "wooi-robn.' Fortunately | had in
| my parlor a stuffed specimen ! bought
many years ago. and now he will know
| the bird Of the richest note or our WOODS
when Dee next hears him sing. some mis-
! take him for the summer rcd-bird, OFTEN
! called "wOOd-rOhIu' which IL OF AN en-
urely different genus. and has note not
ar an like the thrush. one is deeper red
! than the rod-bird Ccardinal-bird). the
other is olive color on his back and wings,
with white breast fuil of spots OF brown.
one OF the cruelest acts / ever did was
| done i'm the interest OF science Ny
cousin. an NJ. D.. contcnded that the sweet
! singer of the woods was the red-hird al
uded 10. To prove De was not. / crepf
up 10 the wOod-thrush while he was
! trilling. and (shall I say it0 shot him as
! his breast was swelling with his music.
! But science vas advanced, though mu-
sician's voice was silenced forever ] have
never repeated that demonstration ana
l shall never do II.
Denizens Of the city You have heard
great musicians sing and make music on
high-souuGing instruments. II you have
| never heard the wood-thrush trill, you
| have trcIt I'm store. II you VIII go 10
the country this or next month and carly
I'm the morning or just before sunset
walk SOFTLY into the fc~st and listen.
especially win YOU hear music n you go
I'm the afternoon, after storm has past.
and every leaf IS glistcninr with rain
drops. and the atmosphere Is AT the best
sound-conduciing state.
In the glass case protecting the thrush =
stuffed form. | have what many never
an egg In H. Though I have been on the
| lookout for these nests all my life and
| have always had a keen eye. this is the
| third one 7 have ever seen. The nest is
| small and male Of such material that Il
would not be readily distinguished from
| n knot of tree covered with llchen or
! moss While waiting for "Stonewall
| Jackson 10 pass along the road between
| COrdonsyille and Kelly's Ford in August,
1859. we were lying IN the woods. Look
! ing up we saw the little bird mother
light on a little knot and found II was
a nest. We left II undsiurbed. The nest
| IS about an inch wide inside. and the ces
the size Of navy-boan. and white.
II the thrush represents the highest ox-
! preston OF music the hummlng-hird sure
| Is represents the most wonderful express
sion Of motion. as wei as the most beau
| iiful combination OF colors. Quick al
most as thought he darts down. from
whence we know not. drinking In the
honey as he fits from flower 10 flower
How can such change In direction bs