THE MUSIC OF THE BIRDS. 



2 53 



it would have seemed more natural ; but, as I was correct in both 

 instances, I reasoned that the rooster might be. I finally settled 

 it that the general's first form was his morning indoor salute, and 

 that the second was his out-of-doors " every-day " song ; and, fur- 

 thermore, that he or some of his ancestry had stolen his text from 

 a strain in " The Seven Sleepers," which in my memory runs : 



$ 



us 



(Oh, 



Pro 



con 



sul!) 



However, a waggish composer offset this theft when he caught 

 the jubilant cackle of a hen as she broke from her nest, heart and 

 throat full of joyous melody snatched it bodily, I say, clapped it 

 to paper, and made " Old Dan Tucker " : 



i 



r 



^==* -* J V 



f 



Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut, cut, cut, cut, cut, cut, cut, cut, 



mf mp 



3^ 



==g 



fc N & V 





cut, ker - dart, cut. cut, ker - dart, wag - gle, wag - gle, 



mf > mp 



w 



3= 



3Ei 



l 



wag - gle, wag - gle, cut, ker - dart, wag - gle, wag - gle, wag- 

 / > 



5 



5E 



5 



gs=3*=f 



-v 



V ^~ 



gle, wag - gle, cut, ker - dart, wag - gle, wag - gle, wag - gle, 



> 



ff 



* 



^^ 



-. =i - 



fc 



i 



wag - gle, cut, cut, cut, 



rit. 



cut, cut, cut, cut, ker - dart. 



Rose-breasted Grossbeak. I have had several interviews 

 with this bird in different States, but never when prepared to 

 take more than his key-note; so I give his song mostly from 

 memory, feeling confident, however, of the accuracy of the main 

 features and the spirit of it. 



The black and white dress of the grossbeak, his breast adorned 

 with a brilliant rose star, instantly attracts the eye, and his loud, 

 ringing song as surely arrests the ear. He sings rapidly and 

 energetically, as if in a hurry to be through and off. No bird 

 sings with more ardor. While on paper his song resembles the 

 robin's, and the key of E flat major and its relative minor are 



