leaf rustled with a startling sound; every
squirrel under whose tree we chanced to pass first shrieked, and then
subsided into a sobbing cry or a scolding bark, according as his fur was
gray or red. A procession of elephants could hardly make more noise, or
create more consternation among the residents of the forest, than we
three (counting the dog), when we wished to be silent as shadows. But
the wren sang on. Evidently, he was accustomed to squirrel vagaries, and
snapping twigs did not disturb him. Nearer and nearer sounded the song,
and more and more enraptured we became. We were settling ourselves to
listen and to look for our charmer, when the third member of our party
created a diversion. Wrens had no attraction for him, but he came upon
the scent of something he was interested in, and instantly fell to
pawing the ground and tearing up the obstructing roots with his teeth,
as though he had gone suddenly mad.

The door through which had doubtless vanished some delectable mouse or
mole was, when discovered, of a proper size for his small body, but in
less than a minute it was big enough to admit the enormous head of the
dog, who varied his eager tearing up of the soil with burying his head
and shoulders in the hole he had made; smelling and listening a few
seconds, then jerking it out with a great snort, and devoting himself
with fresh vigor to digging. It was a curious contrast to the
indifference with which he usually accompanied us, but it proved that he
had his enthusiasms, if he did not share ours. We could not but be
amused, notwithstanding the delicious trilling notes that drew us grew
fainter and fainter, and we despaired of seeing our songster till the
important affairs of that mouse should be settled. Arguments were of no
avail with the four-footed sportsman, a rival attraction failed to
attract, and commands were thrown away on him in his excited state. We
were forced to go home without the sight we desired.

We were not the first to be fascinated by this marvelous melody. "Dull
indeed must be the ear that thrills not on hearing it," says Audubon,
and its effect upon him is worth telling. He was traveling through a
swamp, where he had reason to suspect the presence of venomous snakes
and other reptiles. While moving with great circumspection, looking out
for these unwelcome neighbors, the captivating little aria burst upon
his ear. Instantly snakes were forgotten, his absorbing passion took
full possessi