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 October Bird Music 153

she continued to do as long as I was near the young. She slipped around to the side and tried to attract my attention and get me away from the place where the young were; all this time they lay perfectly still, with their eyes nearly closed. as may be seen by referring to photograph No. 5, They did not stick their heads under foliage or leaves, as young Grouse do when hiding, but simply dropped ﬂat with bill extended, as seen in the photographs. However. if one was touched or moved, as soon as freed it ran away about three feet, dropped to the ground for an instant and repeated this per— formance until out of sight.

At my second visit, the young lay only until all was quiet. then rose up and skulked away; the old bird did not Iwut except just as she ﬂew up, but simply feigned injury at ﬁrst and then sneaked to cover.

October Bird Music

By EARLE STAFFORD

CTOBER, as regards the birds, may be justly termed an unmusical monthi Not only have most of the songsrers departed, but very few of the remaining ones favor us with their voices. Even at this

time, however, when the ﬁrst frosts whiten the meadows at sunrise, and the oak woods are in dull splendor, snatches of welcome melody may be heard to cheer the heart.

There is no bird. I believe, that is utterly silent during the month. The call-notes are necessary means of communication, throughout any season. but the song—that expression of an emotion not fully understood— is seldom heard from many of the birds, either residents or migrants. The Hermit Thrush, silent, digniﬁed, passes through with scarce a word. He mounts from the dry leaves of a thicket to a swaying branch, and quietly obserVes us, perhaps giving a low {but}, as an indication of his annoyance. How diﬁerent. too, the familiar Song Sparrow now skulking shyly among the weeds, from the same merry herald of spring ! The season has affected his character. and when he does occasionally rise from his retreat and give his familiar ditty, or, as a substitute, a prolonged warble, it appears to be for his own consolation rather than for the pleasure of the world. The jolly Tree Sparrows arriving in the middle of the month are of a different mood: the drifting leaves and the biting north wind cause them no sorrow, while the ﬁelds and gardens are bountiful with a rich repast. No wonder October is a month of Finches. In company with the Tree Sparrows are Juncos, White-throats and Song Sparrows, and they spend the clear days among the thicket and goldenrod patches, busy with the multitude of seeds which nature has spread for them. The Tree Sparrows have a social jingling