Page:Bird-lore Vol 04.djvu/182

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A Catbird‘s Musical Ability

A Catbird who chose our back rd as his home during the past summer has interested me on several occasions by his attempts at imitation.

One noon, as I came in at the back door, I heard a Canary singing, and wondered whose song it could be that I could hear so plainlyt I came into the house. buteurinsity got the better of me and I had to go back to investigate. [here was my Canary, perched on a lawn-scat, dressed in dark drab instead of yellow, singing as a three» monthseold Canary would sing. There were no rough notes in his song. 'uch as are usually heard when the Catbird tries to imitate; but he stopped short of the full melody and left me with that aggravating feeling one has when the tinal measure of any musical eompes' ion is lelt off on ac— count of an interruptiunt

Another day, I heard what started to be my Rose-breasted Grosbeak's familiar sen- rences, and I npened my eyes to see him. Just then that squawk, so familiar to those who are acquainted with the Catbird. Came out in the middle of his imitation, and I said. " No, you don‘t fool me The Gros- beak never puts in any such tliscortls. Hi. notes are all harmonious and pure tone. You will have to do better than that." He ﬁnished just as the Grosbeak does. antl that one rough Squawk was all there was to tell me it was not the Grosbeak.

Memorial Day. a liandeorgan cattle along. That was his chance. The hand~ organ was putting in its best efforts on

some rattle-teehang music. which was too much for the poor Catbirtl; he must try anyway—do it or die. So he struck in. A few of the notes he got right, but more of them he did not, for in his haste to keep up to the time he put in almost anything to ﬁll up the measures. He had this to com- fort him anyway,—he did not let that tor- menting hand-organ come out ahead, His

time was as good as the org-an' accent. evenness of heat, rests and all. I have not seen much of him for several weeks now, but presume he has been attending the music festival which has been in progress. —EMII.V B. FELLET, IVUrrerler, [llaIL

The Warbling Vireo a Nest Singer

The account of the singing of a War bling Vireo from its nest, in the September» October, lgot. BlRD-LORE, almost exactly describes a similar experience of my own last summer, which surprised me greatly, it seemed so unusual. esting to know whether these two incidents are exceptions, or whether they merely show the habit of the species

It was at New Russia, Essex county, New York. The nest was n a maple tree, bordering the road in front of the house. After sitting had begun it was noticed (on jllne t] that at intervals the singing at the Warbling Vireo was stationary for some mintttes near the nest. The nest watched more closely, and snon one of my clas discovered that one of the birds sang while brooding, and the other did nott By advancing with caution we could stand directly beneath the nest and see the little hill open to pour forth the song. The music was not so continuous while the singer was thus under inspection. for he had to stop often to cock his head and turn bright eye inquirineg down upon the listener below. But when undistracted by a sight of his audience he repeated the strain with almost perfect regularity awe in ﬁ-‘t'z Jeanie/x .’ Once. when he was timed, this was kept up for ﬁve minutes, This period was about the usual length of his sitting. and then his mate entered the tree with little scolding notes. a small form dashed through the air to a distant row of trees, leaving a trail or song behind, and silence fell in the maple tree.

It was natural to conclude that the singer

It would be inter

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