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LESSON 11
Wilson Flagg, 1806-1884, was born in Beverly, Mass. He pursued his academical course in Andover, at Phillips Academy, and entered Harvard College, but did not graduate. His chief Works are: “Studies in the Field and Forest,” “The Woods and Byways of New England,” and “The Birds and Seasons of New England.”
Nature, for the delight of waking eyes, has arrayed the morning heavens in the loveliest hues of beauty. Fearing to dazzle by an excess of delight, she first announces day by a faintand glimmering twilight, then sheds a purple tint over the brows of the rising morn, and infuses a transparent ruddiness throughout the atmosphere. As daylight widens, successive groups of mottled and rosy-bosomed clouds assemble on the gilded sphere, and, crowned with wreaths of fickle rainbows, spread a mirrored flush over hill, grove, and lake, and evervillage spire is burnished with their splendor.
At length, through crimsoned vapors, we behold the sun’s broad disk, rising with a countenance so serene that every eye may view him ere he arrays himself in his meridian brightness. Not many people who live in towns are aware of the pleasure attending a ramble near the woods and orchards at daybreak in the early part of summer. The drowsiness we feel on rising from our beds is gradually dispelled by the clear and healthful breezes of early day, and we soon experience an unusual amount of vigor and elasticity.
During the night, the stillness of all things is the circumstance that most powerfully attracts our notice, rendering us peculiarly sensitive to every accidental sound that meets the ear. In the morning, at this time of year, on the contrary, we are overpowered by the vocal and multitudinous chorus of the feathered tribe. If you would hear the commencement of this grand anthem of nature, you must rise at the very first appearance of dawn, before thetwilight has formed a complete semicircle above the eastern porch of heaven.
The first note that proceeds from the little warbling host, is the shrill chirp of the hairbird,—occasionally vocal at an hours on a warm summer night. This strain, which is a continued trilling sound, is repeated with diminishing intervals, until it becomes almost incessant. But ere the hairbird has uttered many notes, a single robin begins to warble from a neighboring orchard, soon followed by others, increasing in numbers until, by the time the eastern sky is flushed with crimson, every male, robin in the country round is singing withfervor.
It would be difficult to note the exact order in which the different birds successively begintheir parts in this performance; but the bluebird, whose song is only a short, mellow warble, is heard nearly at the same time with the robin, and the song sparrow joins them soon after with his brief but finely modulated strain. The different species follow rapidly, one after another, in the chorus, until the whole welkin rings with their matin hymn of gladness.
I have often wondered that the almost simultaneous utterance of so many different notes should produce no discords, and that they should result in such complete harmony. In this multitudinous confusion of voices, no two notes are confounded, and none has sufficient duration to grate harshly with a dissimilar sound. Though each performer sings only a few strains and then makes a pause, the whole multitude succeed one another with such rapidity
that we hear an uninterrupted flow of music until the broad light of day invites them to otheremployments.
When there is just light enough to distinguish the birds, we may observe, here and there, a single swallow perched on the roof of a barn or shed, repeating two twittering notes incessantly, with a quick turn and a hop at every note he utters. It would seem to be the design of the bird to attract the attention of his mate, and this motion seems to be made to assist her in discovering his position. As soon as the light has tempted him to fly abroad, this twittering strain is uttered more like a continued song, as he flits rapidly through the ai.
But at this later moment the purple martins have commenced their more melodious chattering, so loud as to attract for a while the most of our attention. There is not a sound in nature so cheering and animating as the song of the purple martin, and none so well calculated to drive away melancholy. Though not one of the earliest voices to be heard, the chorus is perceptibly more loud and effective when this bird has united with the choir.
When the flush of the morning has brightened into vermilion, and the place from whichthe sun is soon to emerge has attained a dazzling brilliancy, the robins are already less tuneful. They are now becoming busy in collecting food for their morning repast, and one by one they leave the trees, and may be seen hopping upon the tilled ground, in quest of the worms and insects that have crept out during the night from their subterranean retreats.
But as the robins grow silent, the bobolinks begin their vocal revelries; and to a fanciful mind it might seem that the robins had gradually resigned their part in the performance to the bobolinks, not one of which is heard until some of the former have concluded their songs. The little hairbird still continues his almost incessant chirping, the first to begin and the last to quit the performance. Though the voice of this bird is not very sweetly modulated, it blends harmoniously with the notes of other birds, and greatly increases the charming effect of the combination.
It would be tedious to name all the birds that take part in this chorus; but we must not omit the pewee, with his melancholy ditty, occasionally heard like a short minor strain in an oratorio; nor the oriole, who is really one of the chief performers, and who, as his bright plumage flashes upon the sight, warbles forth a few notes so clear and mellow as to be beardabove every other sound. Adding a pleasing variety to all this harmony, the lisping notes of the meadowlark, uttered in a shrill tone, and with a peculiar pensive modulation, are plainly audible, with short rests between each repetition.
There is a little brown sparrow, resembling the hairbird, save a general tint of russet in his plumage, that may be heard distinctly among the warbling host. He is rarely seen in cultivated grounds, but frequents the wild pastures, and is the bird that warbles so sweetly at midsummer, when the whortleberries are ripe, and the fields are beautifully spangled with redlilies.
There is no confusion in the notes of his song, which consists of one syllable rapidly repeated, but increasing in rapidity and rising to a higher key towards the conclusion. He sometimes prolongs his strain, when his notes are observed to rise and fall in succession. These plaintive and expressive notes are very loud and constantly uttered, during the hour that precedes the rising of the sun. A dozen warblers of this species, singing in concert, and distributed in different parts of the field, form, perhaps, the most delightful part of thewoodland oratorio to which we have listened.
At sunrise hardly a robin can be beard in the whole neighborhood, and the character of the performance has completely changed during the last half hour. The first part was more melodious and tranquilizing, the last is more brilliant and animating. The grass finches, thevireos, the wrens, and the linnets have joined their voices to the chorus, and the bobolinks are loudest in their song. But the notes of the birds in general are not so incessant as before sunrise. One by one they discontinue their lays, until at high noon the bobolink and the warbling flycatcher are almost the only vocalists to be heard in the field
【中文阅读】
因为大自然高兴地睁着眼睛，所以在清晨的天空排列出最沁人心脾的光轮。担心人们被过强的光线晃得头晕目眩，她首先宣布白天时光线弱一些，在早晨太阳渐渐升起，先照射紫色光，然后让红色光透过大气层。随着白天展开，继之以斑斓和玫瑰色的云层齐聚在恍若镀了一层金色的大气层上，然后在顶部形成圆圈状的变化无常彩虹，将光线齐平反射到下面的山丘、树林和湖泊上，每个村庄教堂的尖顶上都反射出彩虹的光辉。
最后，透过深红色的水蒸气，我们看到太阳那宽阔的光盘，那样宁静安详，以至于在她按照子午圈排列光芒之前，我们每只眼睛都能看到她的样子。夏日破晓时分徜徉在林间和果园，住在城镇里的不是每个人都能意识到这种流淌在心底的快乐。我们起床时感觉到的慵懒，渐渐被早晨清新和煦的微风给驱散了，很快就会体验到一种不同寻常的活力和身体的灵活性。
夜晚时分，周围所有一切依旧强烈吸引着我们的注意力，对飘进耳鼓的每一种偶然出现的声音特别敏感。与之形成鲜明对比的是，每年这个季节的清晨，我们都会被长着羽毛的族类那动听和多声部大合唱。倘若你乍一听大自然这种气势恢宏的圣歌，在东方天际上空形成一道完整的半圆形光环之前，你必定会拂晓刚一崭露头角之际就闻歌起床。
这个啼鸣的族类第一个音符就是梳妆鸟那尖锐刺耳的叫声，在温馨的夏日夜晚偶尔也会一连几个小时叫个不停。持续啼鸣所带来的音调张力，每隔一段时间就会渐渐减弱，几乎从不间断。但是，在梳妆鸟发出许多音符之前，一只知更鸟开始从相邻的果园吱吱叫，其他鸟儿很快就加入这场大合唱，数量不断增加，直到东方的天际映出深红色，这个国家每只雄性知更鸟都在热情地歌唱。
要想在不同种类的鸟儿相继在这场演出中开始加入自己的声部时分辨出确切的顺序，是一件相当困难的事情。可是蓝知更鸟则不尽然，它的歌声只是一种短促而柔和的啼鸣，在别的知更鸟亮出歌喉的同时几乎听不到它的叫声，而麻雀加入它们阵营后很快就形成简短但调整得非常完美的乐段。不同种类的鸟儿快速聚集过来，一只接一只，汇成多声部大合唱，直到整个苍穹羽翼飞舞，合奏出欢快的清晨圣歌。
我经常感到好奇的是，几乎同时唱出如此之多的音符，竟然没有任何不和谐，发出的是如此完美的天籁之音。在这种声音的多重复合里，没有两个音符混在一起的现象，没有一个声音足以持续到非常刺耳的程度。尽管每位表演者只唱几个乐段，然后就会停下来，可是整个演出以一种急速的方式进行下去，以至于我们听到的是不间断的乐流，直到白天宽广的天空向它们发出其他邀请。
当有一道光线明亮到足以区分鸟儿的类属时，我们会不时观察到一只麻雀在谷仓或木棚的屋顶上栖息，不间断地唧唧喳喳地叫着，重复两个音符，在发出的每个音符上都带出一个急速转声和大幅跳跃的音调。仿佛是鸟儿为了吸引同伴的注意故意设计的似的，这个动作好像能协助它发现自己所处的位置。光线一诱惑它展翅高飞，它便快速转入云空，这种啾鸣乐段听上去更像持续吟唱的歌声。
但是过了一会儿，紫色雨燕便开始更悦耳动听地歌唱，声音高亢到足以引起我们最大程度的关注。自然界里没有哪种雨燕的歌声如此欢快和容易模仿，没有谁听到这种美妙的歌声还能将忧愁挂在心上。尽管这不是我们听到的最早的声音，可是当这种鸟儿齐聚到一起放声合唱时，这一圣歌便更嘹亮和动人了。
然而，知更鸟刚一平静下来，食米鸟就开始狂欢了；对充满幻想的人而言，仿佛知更鸟渐渐放弃它们在合唱团里担任的角色，让给了食米鸟。不是一只而是很多知更鸟都停止了歌唱。小小的梳妆鸟依旧在无休止地啾鸣，先是第一只开始，直到最后一只停止表演。尽管这种鸟的叫声不那么甜美悦耳，其中还很协调地混有其他鸟儿的叫声，很大程度上增加了令人陶醉的共鸣效果。
要想叫出参加大合唱的每只鸟儿的名字，可不是件容易的事情。不过，我们千万不要遗漏小燕，它唱的那令人伤感的歌谣，偶尔听上去就像一部清唱剧里的小乐段。白头翁则不然，它实际上是乐队的主角之一，同它那明亮耀眼的羽毛发出光芒的一样，它那婉转的歌喉吟唱出的音符是那样清亮和柔美，盖过了其他鸟儿的声音。再加上这种和弦令人愉快的变化多端，草地鹨那清脆的乐音以一种独具的发人深思的转调，发出尖利的音调。在每次重复短暂的间歇，这种天籁般的音乐都清晰可闻。
与梳妆鸟在一起的还有一种小小的棕色麻雀，除了羽毛上普遍的赤褐色外，它的叫声在一群鸟中间很容易区分开来。在已经开垦的土地上，很少见到这种鸟儿，不过在荒野则经常能发现它的踪迹。在仲夏季节，它是叫声最甜美的鸟儿，这时越橘浆果已经成熟，田野到处可见红色的百合花。
从它的歌声听不到音调混乱，一个单音快速重复，但是不断增加速度和音高。有时候棕色麻雀拉长乐段，这样一来它的音调听上去就显得升高和降低错落有致。在太阳出来的一个小时时间里，这些忧郁和感染力强的音调非常高亢，连续不断。十多只各种鸟儿一起鸣叫，就像一场音乐会，各自贡献不同的声部，也许是我们听到的森林清唱剧里最华彩的乐章。
太阳升起时分，知更鸟面临所有邻居的公然对抗，在最后半个小时表演的特点完全改变了。第一声部更悠扬舒缓，而最后一个声部则更高亢和生气勃勃。草地雀、捕虫鸣鸟、鹪鹩和红雀也加入到大合唱中，在这些歌声中属食米鸟的嗓门最嘹亮。不过总的来说，在太阳升起之前这些鸟儿的歌唱是不会停下来的。它们一个接一个地平静下来，到中午艳阳高照时，整个树林里只剩下食米鸟和京燕这两个歌唱家了。