June 11.
A beautiful summer night, not too warm, moon not quite full, after two or three rainy days. Walk to Fair Haven by railroad, returning by Potter's pasture and Sudbury road.
A beautiful summer night, not too warm, moon not quite full, after two or three rainy days. Walk to Fair Haven by railroad, returning by Potter's pasture and Sudbury road.
When I get away from the town and deeper into the night, I hear whip-poor-wills, and see fireflies in the meadow.
The whip-poor-will suggests how wide asunder the woods and the town. Its note is very rarely heard by those who live on the street, and then it is thought to be of ill omen. But go into the woods in a warm night at this season, and it is the prevailing sound.
I hear some whip-poor-wills on hills, others in thick wooded vales that ring hollow and cavernous with their note. I hear now five or six at once.
It is a bird not only of the woods, but of the night side of the woods. It is no more of ill omen here than the night and the moonlight are.
See July 16, 1850 ("Many men walk by day; few walk by night. It is a very different season. Instead of the sun, there are the moon and stars; instead of the wood thrush, there is the whip-poor-will; instead of butterflies, fireflies, winged sparks of fire!")
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