第51章

twobirds：

Littlegreenheron，nightheron，red-tailedhawk，yellow-billedcuckoo，kingfisher，flicker，humming-bird，swift，meadow-lark，red-

wingedblackbird，sharp-tailedfinch，songsparrow，chippingsparrow，bushsparrow，purplefinch，Baltimoreoriole，cowbunting，robin，woodthrush，thrasher，catbird，scarlettanager，red-eyedvireo，yellowwarbler，black-throatedgreenwarbler，kingbird，woodpeewee，crow，bluejay，cedar-bird，Marylandyellowthroat，chickadee，blackandwhitecreeper，barnswallow，white-breastedswallow，ovenbird，thistlefinch，vesperfinch，indigobunting，towhee，grasshopper-

sparrow，andscreechowl。

Thebirdswerestillinfullsong，foronLongIslandthereislittleabatementinthechorusuntilaboutthesecondweekofJuly，whentheblossomingofthechestnuttreespatchesthewoodlandwithfrothygreenish-yellow。[*]

[*]Alas！theblighthasnowdestroyedthechestnuttrees，androbbedourwoodsofoneoftheirdistinctivebeauties。

Ourmostbeautifulsingersarethewoodthrushes；theysingnotonlyintheearlymorningbutthroughoutthelonghotJuneafternoons。

Sometimestheysinginthetreesimmediatelyaroundthehouse，andiftheairisstillwecanalwayshearthemfromamongthetalltreesatthefootofthehill。Thethrasherssinginthehedgerowsbeyondthegarden，thecatbirdseverywhere。Thecatbirdshavesuchanattractivesongthatitisextremelyirritatingtoknowthatatanymomenttheymayinterruptittomewandsqueal。Thebold，cheerymusicoftherobinsalwaysseemstypicalofthebold，cheerybirdsthemselves。TheBaltimoreoriolesnestintheyoungelmsaroundthehouse，andtheorchardoriolesintheappletreesnearthegardenandoutbuildings。

Amongtheearliestsoundsofspringisthecheerful，simple，homelysongofthesong-sparrow；andinMarchwealsohearthepiercingcadenceofthemeadow-lark——tousoneofthemostattractiveofallbirdcalls。Oflateyearsnowandthenweheartherollicking，bubblingmelodyofthebobolinkinthepasturesbackofthebarn；andwhenthefullchorusoftheseandofmanyotherofthesingersofspringisdyingdown，therearesometruehot-weathersongsters，suchasthebrightlyhuedindigobuntingsandthistlefinches。Amongthefinchesoneofthemostmusicalandplaintivesongsisthatofthebush-sparrow——Idonotknowwhythebookscallitfield-sparrow，foritdoesnotdwellintheopenfieldslikethevesperfinch，thesavannah-sparrow，andgrasshopper-sparrow，butamongthecedarsandbayberrybushesandyounglocustsinthesameplaceswheretheprairiewarblerisfound。Norisitonlythetruesongsthatdelightus。Welovetoheartheflickerscall，andwereadilypardonanyoneoftheirnumberwhich，asoccasionallyhappens，isboldenoughtowakeusintheearlymorningbydrummingontheshinglesoftheroof。Inourearsthered-wingedblackbirdshaveaveryattractivenote。Welovethescreamingofthered-tailedhawksastheysoarhighoverhead，andeventhecallsofthenightheronthatnestinthetallwatermaplesbyoneofthewoodpondsonourplace，andthelittlegreenheronsthatnestbesidethesaltmarsh。Itishardtotelljusthowmuchoftheattractioninanybird-noteliesinthemusicitselfandhowmuchintheassociations。Thisiswhatmakesitsouselesstotrytocomparethebirdsongsofonecountrywiththoseofanother。Amanwhoisworthanythingcannomorebeentirelyimpartialinspeakingofthebirdsongswithwhichfromhisearliestchildhoodhehasbeenfamiliarthanhecanbeentirelyimpartialinspeakingofhisownfamily。

AtSagamoreHillweloveagreatmanythings——birdsandtreesandbooks，andallthingsbeautiful，andhorsesandriflesandchildrenandhardworkandthejoyoflife。Wehavegreatfireplaces，andinthemthelogsroarandcrackleduringthelongwinterevenings。Thebigpiazzaisforthehot，stillafternoonsofsummer。Asineveryhouse，therearethingsthatappealtothehouseholderbecauseoftheirassociations，butwhichwouldnotmeanmuchtoothers。

Naturally，anymanwhohasbeenPresident，andfilledotherpositions，accumulatessuchthings，withscantregardtohisownpersonalmerits。

PerhapsourmostcherishedpossessionsareaRemingtonbronze，“TheBroncoBuster。”givenmebymymenwhentheregimentwasmusteredout，andabigTiffanysilvervasegiventoMrs。Rooseveltbytheenlistedmenoftheb