Feb., 1903.] A Hermit Thrush Song. 373 



should be said that in proportion as the bird seemed to be exert- 

 ing himself, as for example on one occasion when suddenly joined 

 by his mate, the metallic overtones were less prominent, and in 

 certain of the key varieties the}^ were nearh' absent. The long 

 opening notes were the freest, the high, rapid ones the most bur- 

 dened with overtones. At their worst the highest figures were 

 occasionally almost squeaky but in the full song they were by no 

 means lacking in sweetness, and they were always clear and sharp. 



Heard from a very close range the long full notes were fairly 

 piercing, so sweet, full, and vibrant were they. They were too 

 loud for comfort, and when the bird suddenl}^ began to sing while 

 perched on a fence about ten feet from my tent it fairly made my 

 ears ring. 



The most characteristic feature of the song in the line of vocal 

 modulation was as simple as the phrase itself, but equally effec- 

 tive. The opening long note was struck firmly and held some- 

 times with a slight crescendo, but the succeeding rapid figures 

 were progressively diminished in loudness until the last clearly 

 uttered notes faded away in a silvery tinkle. This svwrzando or 

 ^//;;//;/?c<v/i/^ utterance was almost habitual with the ' 'camp thrush," 

 and was indescribably effective. It suggested the modulation of 

 the piano player since it surpassed in extent of diminution and 

 in delicacy of utterance at the end anything within the compass 

 of a wind instrument. But the piano smoi^zando would lack the 

 crescendo on the opening note. 



The whole song was vigorous and sure in delivery, slow — 

 since the phrases, taking at the most two and a half seconds in 

 delivery, were separated by four to six seconds of silence — but 

 perfectly stead}' in tempo, and certain in execution. The unusual 

 richness and vibrant power of the tone, enhanced by the effective 

 smorzando utterances of successive phrases, with the never-failing 

 alternation of key and pitch marked the song off from any other 

 sound of the Canadian woods. 



This bird was by no means unusual, nor on the contrary iden- 

 tical with others of his species. His nearest neighbor differed 

 from him in several marked ways, being less regular in song 

 form, having much more variety in his phrases, using minor as 

 well as major keys, being less distinct and finished in utterance 

 although rather sweeter in voice, singing a little more slowly and 

 a little less loudly, being rather inferior in penetration, and not 

 using the smorzando delivery so much. But both were master- 

 singers. 



