Outings at Odd TimesAbbott, Charles C. (Charles Conrad)
History
Outings at Odd Times
Abbott, Charles C. (Charles Conrad)
Natural history -- Outdoor books
Of the thirteen moons of the year, not one is of such significance to
the outdoor naturalist as that of April. I think that there can be no
doubt but that a clear sky, rather than temperature, is the important
factor in the migratory movement of our birds that come from the South
in spring. Certainly the morning of April 14th, of this year, was cool
enough to have retarded birds sensitive to cold. Ice formed on shallow
ponds and a heavy frost rested upon all the upland fields; yet at
sunrise the old beeches were alive with those beautiful birds, the
yellow red-polled warblers. Nor were they numb or dumb. There was not an
instant that they rested, nor a moment that they did not sing. The April
moon, too, has the merit of brightening the marshes, when in fullest
force the frog-world comes to the fore, and perhaps never are these
slimy batrachians so noisy as when the night is warm, the sky clear, and
the moon full in April. Take a midnight ramble then, and see if I am not
right. Of course, no one wishes to be confined to the company of
croaking frogs, but other creatures will doubtless cross your path, and
I assume the reader does not live in an utterly desolate region. My
reference to frogs may seem to imply contempt, but it is not deserved.
If they are not overwise, neither are they wholly stupid, and it is well
for all men to be chary of their judgments. There are times and
occasions when a frog may outwit a philosopher. Try to catch one on
slippery mud, and see which sprawls the more gracefully.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account