Then suddenly some one of the joyful
congregation shouts Chirr! Chirr! and all stop as if shot.
The sweet-voiced meadowlark with its placid, simple song of
_peery-eery-odical_ was another favorite, and we soon learned to
admire the Baltimore oriole and its wonderful hanging nests, and the
scarlet tanager glowing like fire amid the green leaves.
But no singer of them all got farther into our hearts than the little
speckle-breasted song sparrow, one of the first to arrive and begin
nest-building and singing. The richness, sweetness, and pathos of this
small darling's song as he sat on a low bush often brought tears to
our eyes.
The little cheery, modest chickadee midget, loved by every innocent
boy and girl, man and woman, and by many not altogether innocent, was
one of the first of the birds to attract our attention, drawing nearer
and nearer to us as the winter advanced, bravely singing his faint
silvery, lisping, tinkling notes ending with a bright _dee, dee, dee_!
however frosty the weather.
The nuthatches, who also stayed all winter with us, were favorites
with us boys.
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