32(i NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [11:7— Oct., 1915 



improvised stage, his wings flapping, his tail wide-spread, his 

 little body trembling with excitement. The silence of the others 

 was singularly impressive, it seemed that they awaited breathlessly 

 an event of intense dramatic interest. Suddenly the throat of the 

 cock bird swelled, and he burst into song— such a gush of rippling 

 melodv as never came from linnet's throat before. Now low as the 

 rippling of waters, again shrill and sweet, the clear trills rose and 

 tell, the tiny singer pouring forth his soul in an ecstasy of exalta- 







,.: , : - /iffe* 



The Linnets fluttered about like birds seeking a perch at twilight. 



tion— the appreciative silence of the audience seeming to inspire 

 him to wonderful accomplishment. 



The desire to secure a photograph of the wonderful spectacle at 

 this point outweighed my fear of disturbing the song festival, but 

 so engrossed were the birds in the performance that the click of the 

 camera did not alarm them in the least and I was fortunately 

 permitted to continue listening to the marvelous soloist, until 

 exhausted by his efforts he flew away to a perch on the wire, the 

 others expressing their approval of his rendition in sharp twitter- 

 ings of delight. 



A second singer succeeded the first, and he was followed by still 

 another, each going through the same performance of singing his 



