The Book of Clever Beasts (Studies in Unnatural History)

After the tragical deaths of Tom-Tom and Upsidaisi my life was strangely lonely. No one who has not experienced it can realise the subtle almost spiritual attachment which may exist between man and his kindred of the wild. The Squirrels barked at each other but there was no bark for me except on the oak tree at my cabin door. The little Birds sang but not for me. Whenever I approached a thicket where the woodland chorus was in rehearsal trying to learn the Bird-calls which are printed in the books there was a spontaneous silence which seemed to possess a positive rather than a negative quality. —Excerpt from the book