Sparrow, Song 



remarkably. Fifteen varieties of its song have been noted 

 in one week, and the same individual often has a number 

 of tunes in his repertoire. 



Florence A. Merriam. Birds of Village and Field.^ 



You will find that he repeats one strain for perhaps a 

 dozen times, without the change of a note; then suddenly 

 he comes out with a song entirely different. This second 

 song he will in turn drop for a third and so on. The bird 

 acts, for all the world, as if he were singing hymns, of so 

 many verses each, one after another. 



ToRREY. Every Day Birds. ^^ 



The sparrow .... assured all the plain Quakers 

 within hearing that he was a good Pres-pi^es-pres-pres- 

 pres-hy-te-ri-an. 



Abbott. Birds About Us.^^ 



The song sparrow is said to be imitated in New Bedford 

 thus: ''Maids, maids, maids, — hang on your tea-kettle 

 — ettle, ettle, ettle, ettle. 



Thoreau. 



I thought the sparrow's note from heaven, 

 Singing at dawn on the alder bough; 

 I brought him home, in his nest, at even; 

 He sings the song, but it cheers not now. 

 For I did not bring home the river and sky; — 

 He sang to my ear, — they sang to my eye. 



Emerson. 



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