Whenwolf-huntinginTexas，andwhenbear-huntinginLouisianaandMississippi，Iwasnotonlyenthralledbythesport，butalsobythestrangenewbirdsandothercreatures，andthetreesandflowersIhadnotknownbefore。Bytheway，therewasonefeastattheWhiteHousewhichstandsaboveallothersinmymemory——evenabovethetimewhenI
luredJoelChandlerHarristhitherforanight，adeedinwhichtotriumph，asallwhoknewthatinveteratelyshyreclusewilltestify。
Thiswas“thebear-hunters’dinner。”Ihadbeentreatedsokindlybymyfriendsonthesehunts，andtheyweresuchfinefellows，menwhomI
wassoproudtothinkofasAmericans，thatIsetmyheartonhavingthematahunters’dinnerattheWhiteHouse。OneDecemberI
succeeded；thereweretwentyorthirtyofthem，alltold，asgoodhunters，asdaringriders，asfirst-classcitizensascouldbefoundanywhere；nofinersetofguestseversatatmeatintheWhiteHouse；
andamongothergameonthetablewasablackbear，itselfcontributedbyoneofthesesameguests。
WhenIfirstvisitedCalifornia，itwasmygoodfortunetoseethe“bigtrees。”theSequoias，andthentotraveldownintotheYosemite，withJohnMuir。OfcourseofallpeopleintheworldhewastheonewithwhomitwasbestworthwhilethustoseetheYosemite。HetoldmethatwhenEmersoncametoCaliforniahetriedtogethimtocomeoutandcampwithhim，forthatwastheonlywayinwhichtoseeattheirbestthemajestyandcharmoftheSierras。ButatthetimeEmersonwasgettingoldandcouldnotgo。JohnMuirmetmewithacoupleofpackersandtwomulestocarryourtent，bedding，andfoodforathreedays’trip。Thefirstnightwasclear，andwelaydowninthedarkeningaislesofthegreatSequoiagrove。Themajestictrunks，beautifulincolorandinsymmetry，roserounduslikethepillarsofamightiercathedralthaneverwasconceivedevenbythefervoroftheMiddleAges。Hermitthrushessangbeautifullyintheevening，andagain，withaburstofwonderfulmusic，atdawn。Iwasinterestedandalittlesurprisedtofindthat，unlikeJohnBurroughs，JohnMuircaredlittleforbirdsorbirdsongs，andknewlittleaboutthem。Thehermit-thrushesmeantnothingtohim，thetreesandtheflowersandthecliffseverything。Theonlybirdshenoticedorcaredforweresomethatwereveryconspicuous，suchasthewater-ousels——alwaysparticularfavoritesofminetoo。Thesecondnightwecampedinasnow-storm，ontheedgeofthecanyonwalls，underthespreadinglimbsofagroveofmightysilverfir；andnextdaywewentdownintothewonderlandofthevalleyitself。IshallalwaysbegladthatIwasintheYosemitewithJohnMuirandintheYellowstonewithJohnBurroughs。
LikemostAmericansinterestedinbirdsandbooks，IknowagooddealaboutEnglishbirdsastheyappearinbooks。IknowthelarkofShakespeareandShelleyandtheEttrickShepherd；IknowthenightingaleofMiltonandKeats；IknowWordsworth’scuckoo；Iknowmavisandmerlesinginginthemerrygreenwoodoftheoldballads；I
knowJennyWrenandCockRobinofthenurserybooks。ThereforeIhadalwaysmuchdesiredtohearthebirdsinreallife；andtheopportunityofferedinJune，1910，whenIspenttwoorthreeweeksinEngland。AsIcouldsnatchbutafewhoursfromaveryexcitingroundofpleasuresandduties，itwasnecessaryformetobewithsomecompanionwhocouldidentifybothsongandsinger。InSirEdwardGrey，akeenloverofoutdoorlifeinallitsphases，andadelightfulcompanion，whoknowsthesongsandwaysofEnglishbirdsasveryfewdoknowthem，Ifoundthebestpossibleguide。
WeleftLondononthemorningofJune9，twenty-fourhoursbeforeI
sailedfromSouthampton。GettingoffthetrainatBasingstoke，wedrovetothepretty，smilingvalleyoftheItchen。Herewetrampedforthreeorfourhours，thenagaindrove，thistimetotheedgeoftheNewForest，wherewefirsttookteaataninn，andthentrampedthroughtheforesttoaninnonitsotherside，atBrockenhurst。Attheconclusionofourwalkmycompanionmadealistofthebirdswehadseen，puttinganasterisk*oppositethosewhichwehadheardsing。Therewereforty-oneoftheformerandtwenty-threeofthelatter，asfollows：
*Thrush，blackbird，lark，yellowhammer，robin，wren，
golden-crestedwren，goldfinch，chaffinch，greenfinch，piedwagtail，sparrow，dunnockhedge，accentor，misselthrush，starling，rook，jackdaw，blackcap，gardenwarbler，willowwarbler，chiffchaff，woodwarbler，tree-creeper，reedbunting，
sedgewarbler，coot，waterhen，littlegrebedabchick，tuftedduck，woodpigeon，stockdove，turtledove，peewit，tit？coal-tit，
cuckoo，nightjar，swallow，martin，swift，pheasant，partridge。
ThevalleyoftheItchenistypicallytheEnglandthatweknowfromnovelandstoryandessay。Itisverybeautifulineveryway，witharich，civilized，fertilebeauty——therapidbrooktwistingamongitsreedbeds，therichgreenoftreesandgrass，thestatelywoods，thegardensandfields，theexceedinglypicturesquecottages，thegreathandsomehousesstandingintheirparks。Birdswereplentiful；IknowbutfewplacesinAmericawhereonewouldseesuchanabundanceofindividuals，andIwasstruckbyseeingsuchlargebirdsascoots，waterhens，grebes，tuftedducks，pigeons，andpeewits。InplacesinAmericaasthicklysettledasthevalleyoftheItchen，Ishouldnotexpecttoseeanylikenumberofbirdsofthissize；butIhopethattheeffortsoftheAudubonsocietiesandkindredorganizationswillgraduallymakethemselvesfeltuntilitbecomesapointofhonornotonlywiththeAmericanman，butwiththeAmericansmallboy，toshieldandprotectallformsofharmlesswildlife。Truesportsmenshouldtaketheleadinsuchamovement，forifthereistobeanyshootingtheremustbesomethingtoshoot；theprimenecessityistokeep，andnotkillout，eventhebirdswhichinlegitimatenumbersmaybeshot。
TheNewForestisawild，uninhabitedstretchofheathandwoodland，manyofthetreesgnarledandaged，anditsverywildness，thelackofcultivation，theruggedness，madeitstronglyattractiveinmyeyes，andsuggestedmyowncountry。ThebirdsofcourseweremuchlessplentifulthanbesidetheItchen。
Thebirdthatmostimpressedmeonmywalkwastheblackbird。IhadalreadyheardnightingalesinabundancenearLakeComo，andhadalsolistenedtolarks，butIhadneverheardeithertheblackbird，thesongthrush，ortheblackcapwarbler；andwhileIknewthatallthreeweregoodsingers，Ididnotknowwhatreallybeautifulsingerstheywere。Blackbirdswereveryabundant，andtheyplayedaprominentpartinthechoruswhichweheardthroughoutthedayoneveryhand，thoughperhapsloudestthefollowingmorningatdawn。InitshabitsandmannerstheblackbirdstrikinglyresemblesourAmericanrobin，andindeedlooksexactlylikearobin，withayellowbillandcoal-blackplumage。Ithopseverywhereoverthelawns，justasourrobindoes，anditlivesandnestsinthegardensinthesamefashion。Itssonghasageneralresemblancetothatofourrobin，butmanyofthenotesarefarmoremusical，morelikethoseofourwoodthrush。Indeed，therewereindividualsamongthoseweheardcertainofwhosenotesseemedtomealmosttoequalinpointofmelodythechimesofthewoodthrush；andthehighestpossiblepraiseforanysong-birdistolikenitssongtothatofthewoodthrushorhermitthrush。Icertainlydonotthinkthattheblackbirdhasreceivedfulljusticeinthebooks。I
knewthathewasasinger，butIreallyhadnoideahowfineasingerhewas。Isupposeoneofhistroubleshasbeenhisname，justaswithourowncatbird。Whenheappearsintheballadsasthemerle，bracketedwithhiscousinthemavis，thesongthrush，itisfareasiertorecognizehimasthemastersingerthatheis。ItisafinethingforEnglandtohavesuchanassetofthecountryside，abirdsocommon，somuchinevidence，sofearless，andsuchareallybeautifulsinger。
Thethrushisafinesingertoo，abettersingerthanourAmericanrobin，buttomymindnotatthebestquiteasgoodastheblackbirdathisbest；althoughoftenIfounddifficultyintellingthesongofonefromthesongoftheother，especiallyifIonlyheardtwoorthreenotes。
Thelarkswere，ofcourse，exceedinglyattractive。Itwasfascinatingtoseethemspringfromthegrass，circleupwards，steadilysingingandsoaringforseveralminutes，andthenreturntothepointwhencetheyhadstarted。Asmycompanionpointedout，theyexactlyfulfilledWordsworth’sdescription；theysoaredbutdidnotroam。Itisquiteimpossiblewhollytodifferentiateabird’svoicefromitshabitsandsurroundings。Althoughinthelark’ssongthereareoccasionalmusicalnotes，thesongasawholeisnotverymusical；butitissojoyous，buoyantandunbroken，andutteredundersuchconditionsasfullytoentitlethebirdtotheplaceheoccupieswithbothpoetandprosewriter。
Themostmusicalsingerweheardwastheblackcapwarbler。Tomyearitssongseemedmoremusicalthanthatofthenightingale。Itwasastonishinglypowerfulforsosmallabird；involumeandcontinuityitdoesnotcomeuptothesongsofthethrushesandofcertainotherbirds，butinquality，asanisolatedbitofmelody，itcanhardlybesurpassed。
Amongtheminorsingerstherobinwasnoticeable。Weallknowthisprettylittlebirdfromthebooks，andIwaspreparedtofindhimasfriendlyandattractiveasheprovedtobe，butIhadnotrealizedhowwellhesang。Itisnotaloudsong，butverymusicalandattractive，andthebirdissaidtosingpracticallyallthroughtheyear。Thesongofthewreninterestedmemuch，becauseitwasnotintheleastlikethatofourhousewren，but，onthecontrary，likethatofourwinterwren。Thethemeisthesameasthewinterwren’s，butthesongdidnotseemtometobeasbrilliantlymusicalasthatofthetinysingeroftheNorthWoods。Thesedgewarblersanginthethickreedsamockingventriloquiallay，whichremindedmeattimesofthelesspronouncedpartsofouryellow-breastedchat’ssong。Thecuckoo’scrywassingularlyattractiveandmusical，farmoresothantherolling，manytimesrepeated，noteofourrain-crow。
WedidnotreachtheinnatBrockenhurstuntilaboutnineo’clock，justatnightfall，andafewminutesbeforethatweheardanightjar。
Itdidnotsoundintheleastlikeeitherourwhip-poor-willorournight-hawk，utteringalong-continuedcallofoneortwosyllables，repeatedoverandover。Thechaffinchwasverymuchinevidence，continuallychauntingitsunimportantlittleditty。Iwaspleasedtoseethebold，masterfulmisselthrush，thestormcockasitisoftencalled；butthisbirdbreedsandsingsintheearlyspring，whentheweatherisstilltempestuous，andhadlongbeensilentwhenwesawit。
Thestarlings，rooks，andjackdawsdidnotsing，andtheircallswereattractivemerelyasthecallsofourgracklesareattractive；andtheotherbirdsthatweheardsing，thoughtheyplayedtheirpartinthegeneralchorus，wereperformersofnoespecialnote，likeourtree-
creepers，pinewarblers，andchippingsparrows。Thegreatspringchorushadalreadybeguntosubside，butthewoodsandfieldswerestillvocalwithbeautifulbirdmusic，thecountrywasverylovely，theinnascomfortableaspossible，andthebathandsupperveryenjoyableafterourtramp；andaltogetherIpassednopleasantertwenty-fourhoursduringmyentireEuropeantrip。
Tendayslater，atSagamoreHill，Iwasamongmyownbirds，andwasmuchinterestedasIlistenedtoandlookedattheminrememberingthenotesandactionsofthebirdsIhadseeninEngland。OntheeveningofthefirstdayIsatinmyrocking-chaironthebroadveranda，lookingacrosstheSoundtowardsthegloryofthesunset。Thethicklygrassedhillsideslopeddowninfrontofmetoabeltofforestfromwhichrosethegolden，leisurelychimingofthewoodthrushes，chantingtheirvespers；throughthestillaircamethewarbleofvireoandtanager；andafternightfallweheardtheflightsongofanovenbirdfromthesamebeltoftimber。Overheadanoriolesangintheweepingelm，nowandthenbreakinghissongtoscoldlikeanovergrownwren。Song-sparrowsandcatbirdssangintheshrubbery；onerobinhadbuiltitsnestoverthefrontandoneoverthebackdoor，andtherewasachippy’snestinthewistariavinebythestoop。Duringthenexttwenty-fourhoursIsawandheard，eitherrightaroundthehouseorwhilewalkingdowntobathe，throughthewoods，thefollowingforty-