( JRXITHOLOCY. 



459 



While there arc many with whom 

 these considerations would have no 

 weight, to most of the readers ol a 

 magazine like The Guide to Nature 

 they should, and doubtless will, appeal 

 with much force; and it is the interest 

 of just such appreciative students of 

 nature I wish to enlist. There arc- 

 probably several who will read these 

 words who are already capably equip- 

 ped to pursue this phase of nature 

 stud}' and others who, with a little 

 preparation, could properly equip them- 

 selves. 1 would urge upon all who 

 combine a taste for music and love of 

 nature to become reporters of bird 

 music. 



And why? Because of the immense 

 amount of excellent material that is 

 going to waste. There is great indi- 

 vidual variation in the songs of cer- 

 tain species of birds ; wood thrushes. 

 >ong sparrows, hermit thrushes, ori- 

 oles, meadowlarks and several others 

 are gifted with such musical individual- 

 ity that the songs of each species may 

 be numbered by millions. ( )f wood 

 thrushes whose tones were Mat and 

 most, if not quite, safe to assert that 

 no two sing the same way. Geograph- 

 ical variation, also, causes musical 

 variety. Moreover, the range of musi- 

 cal attainment varies greatly in differ- 

 ent individuals. I have heard wood 

 thrushes whose tones were flat and 

 whose songs had little of pleasing mel- 

 ody and others that uttered most 

 rhythmically melodious songs in rich 

 liquid voices. Some song sparrows 

 fully justify the contemptuous char- 

 acterization of "that squeaky little 

 bird" bestowed by a young lady on 

 first acquaintance (To the chagrin of 

 the ornithological friend who made 

 the introduction) while others utter 

 very sprightly and attactive bits of 

 melody in rich musical tones. 



On account of this 'personal equa- 

 tion' among birds, the woods and 

 meadows are filled with attractive and 

 interesting songs which, if not re- 

 corded will pass into oblivion when 

 the short lives of the singers terminate. 

 Hence the need of many recorders. 

 Were all the musicians of the world 

 to invade the wilderness and set to 

 work transcribing noteworthy bird 



music much of it would still remain 

 unheard and unrecorded. 



Just here some thoughtful reader 

 may be disposed l<> ask little Peterkin's 

 question as to the good that will come 

 of it at last. If so, I am, fortunately, 

 able to give a more satisfactory answer 

 than the boy elicited from old Kaspar. 

 Apart from the assistance such records 

 may lend in the identification of species 

 by novices and aside from the interest 

 that always attaches to collections, the 

 recorded songs of birds offer a fascina- 

 ting and fruitful field of stud)'. Not 

 only do they have an important bear- 

 ing on questions relating to the evolu- 

 tion of birds but from the many resem- 

 blances they show to our music they 

 throw much light on the study of the 

 evolution of music itself and are of 

 value in the investigation of the origin 

 and development of the aesthetic taste. 

 matters that have engaged the atten- 

 tion of our prqfoundest philosophers. 

 The solution of many vexed questions 

 may be greatly facilitated by careful 

 study of ample material secured from 

 the little musicians of the summer 

 fields. Here, then, is value of great 

 degree in this research to one who 

 does not measure importance by dol- 

 lars — one who appreciates the high 

 character of knowledge that aids our 

 attempts to penetrate the mysteries 

 and uncertainties by which we are 

 surrounded. 



But wdiile extending a hearty invita- 

 tion to all capable investigators to en- 

 ter this new field I would offer a word 

 or two of caution and advice, f would 

 urge the exercise of both care and pa- 

 tience. Fancy should never be allowed 

 to supply the place of exactness and 

 impatience to secure records should 

 not be permitted to bring discourage- 

 ment if at the outset no songs are 

 heard that can be properly recorded on 

 our musical staff. Most birds show a 

 fine disregard for our scale and rules of 

 musical construction and it is only occa- 

 sionally that pure melodies are to be 

 heard. T cannot too strongly em- 

 phasize the danger of invalidating work 

 by inexactness. 



For equipment the reporter of avian 

 music requires a notebook, a pitch pipe 

 or tuning fork, a watch (Tor ascertain- 



