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 faint and 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 every village 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 the twilight 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 crim-son，every male，robin in the country round is singing with fervor.

It would be difficult to note the exact order in which the different birds successively begin their 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 other employments.

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 air.

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 which the 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 beard above 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 red lilies.

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 the woodland 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，the vireos，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 fields.

譯文　TRANSLATION

威爾遜·弗拉格生于1806年，卒于1884年。他的主要作品包括《林野讀書記》《森林與小路》《鳥與四季》。

為讓醒來的人們賞心悅目，大自然用最可愛的色彩裝點著清晨的天空。擔心過度歡愉讓人們目亂神迷，她先用淡淡的、閃爍的微光宣告一天的到來，接著，她在清晨的眉宇間涂上一抹紫色，并用鮮紅浸潤了天空。隨著天色越來越亮，一組組斑駁的、玫瑰色的云在金色的天空中聚集，云間垂下一彎斑斕的彩虹，丘巒、樹林、湖面都映照著紅光，每個村莊教堂的尖塔也在輝煌的霞彩中熠熠生輝。

終于，透過緋紅的水汽，我們看到朝陽像圓盤一樣冉冉升起，它是那樣寧靜，每雙眼睛都可以在它的光芒達到極致之前觀看它。住在城里，只有為數不多的人能夠體認這種樂趣：夏日的清晨漫步樹林、果園。起床時的倦意漸漸被清晨清新、怡人的微風驅散，不一會兒，我們就感覺精力特別充沛、身體特別靈活。

晚上，萬籟俱寂。這時，每一個傳到我們耳畔的偶然的聲響都引起我們特別的注意。與之相反，在一年中的這一時段，清晨，我們都會被羽族的婉轉的合唱征服。如果你想聆聽大自然這首宏大的贊美詩的開始樂段，你必須在拂曉時就起床——那時，東方的天際，熹微的晨光還沒有形成它的半圓。

在這清音百囀的一族中，第一聲啁啾來自啼聲清脆的梳妝鳥——有時，在溫暖的夏夜，也會聽到它的歌聲。這一樂段是段持續(xù)的顫音，回環(huán)往復中間隔時間越來越短，最后，它幾乎連成一氣。但沒等梳妝鳥唱多久，鄰近果園的一只知更鳥也開始賣弄它婉轉的歌喉，不久，越來越多的鳥加入了合唱。當東方的天空亮起緋紅的霞彩時，鄉(xiāng)村里每只雄性的知更鳥都在縱情歌唱。

很難辨認出不同的鳥在這場演出中確切的出場順序，但藍知更鳥短促、醇厚的啼聲幾乎總是與其他知更鳥的鳴聲一同響起，可歌雀則是唱完一段較短的轉音之后才加入知更鳥的合唱。很快地，不同種類的鳥呼朋引伴地加入這場合唱，直到整個天宇響徹它們歡樂的晨禱。

我時常覺得不解：那么多不同的鳥兒幾乎同時發(fā)聲竟然沒有產生任何不諧和，竟然營造出那么渾然的和諧。這么多聲音交織在一起，卻沒有哪兩個聲音弄混。沒有任何一個音有足夠的音長去妨礙某個不同的音。盡管每個表演者都只唱幾段，然后就休息，但這些鳥彼此銜接得如此迅速以致我們聽不出音樂的中斷，直到天光大亮，這些鳥兒去尋找新的快樂。

當光線亮到足以分辨這群鳥時，我們可以注意到，一只燕子棲落在谷倉或棚子頂部，一邊不停呢喃，一邊每唱一個音就快速轉身、跳行一下。這些設計是為引起其配偶的注意，同時，這一動作似乎有助于她發(fā)現配偶的位置。當陽光誘使雄燕飛向外面的世界時，這呢喃更像一首持續(xù)的歌，伴他從空中一掠而過。

而再過一會兒，紫色的雨燕開始唱出它們更具旋律性的歌，那么嘹亮，一時間吸引了我們大部分的注意。大自然中，沒有哪一個聲音像雨燕的歌聲那樣令人心曠神怡、那樣令人生機勃發(fā)。沒有什么比雨燕的歌更適于趕走憂愁。雖然雨燕不是我們最早聽到的歌聲，但它們的加入卻顯然使整個合唱更嘹亮、更富于感染力。

當朝霞轉成朱紅，太陽即將升起的地方變得璀璨奪目。知更鳥現在正忙著準備早餐，只好有一搭沒一搭地應和著。它們漸次飛出樹林，有的在犁過的土地上跳躍著——尋找夜里從地下爬出的蟲子。

但知更鳥不唱了，食米鳥卻開始百囀千鳴。對于一個善于遐想的人來說，似乎知更鳥漸漸將自己在演出中的角色讓渡給了食米鳥，因為在知更鳥停止歌唱前是聽不到食米鳥的歌聲的。嬌小的梳妝鳥仍在繼續(xù)它的嘀嚦，在晨間演出中，它們總是第一個加入最后一個離開。盡管梳妝鳥的歌聲并不十分甜美，可卻能和其他鳥兒的歌聲和諧地交融在一起，從而大大提升整個合唱的魅力。

若將參加合唱的所有鳥的名字都一一道出，想必會冗長得令人生厭。但我們絕不能忽略美洲小燕，它憂傷的謠曲有時聽上去像一部清唱劇中短小的樂段。黃鸝也不容忘記，實際上它是演出的主角，它一出現，明麗的毛羽就點亮了整個風景，透明、醇厚的歌喉就在眾聲和鳴中特立獨出，為整個合唱增添了一段令人賞心悅目的變奏。草地鷚的歌聲也很悅耳，嬌癡、清脆中帶一絲獨特感傷的意味，回環(huán)復沓間有短暫的停頓。

有一種小棕雀，除了毛羽間雜有紅褐色之外，外形和梳妝鳥很像。它的歌聲在合唱中也很容易辨認。在田間幾乎看不到它的身影，它經常出現在茂密的草叢中。仲夏時節(jié)，它的歌聲尤為甜美；這段日子里，越橘熟了，田野里開滿紅百合。

它的歌聲里沒有含混，只是一個音節(jié)在快速地重復，速度越來越快，音高也越來越高。偶爾它會延長樂段，這時可以注意到它的音調升降交錯。在太陽升起前那一小時內，這些哀傷、動人的音符綿綿不絕。十幾只小棕雀，在原野的不同角落，齊聲合唱，構成我們所聽到的林間圣樂中最歡快的樂段。

日出時分，周圍幾乎聽不到知更鳥的歌聲，在最后半小時內演出的風格完全變了。第一樂章更悠揚、寧謐，而最后一個樂章則更華彩、昂揚。草雀、綠鵑、鷦鷯和紅雀都加入了合唱，而數食米鳥的歌聲最嘹亮，但整體上群鳥的歌聲不像日出前那樣此起彼伏、綿綿不斷。它們一個接一個地停止了歌唱。到了正午，田間幾乎只能聽到食米鳥和捕蠅鳥的鳴囀。