102 THE BIRD OF SOCIETY. 



" chack," expressing various emotions, being 

 sometimes softened into "check," and "cliiek," 

 and even with closed bill into a rich " chuck." 

 Besides this he has a shrill scream — it can be 

 called nothing else — on a high key, a sharp, 

 insect-like sound, and a rough aspirate, when 

 displeased, like the first sound of " h." Aside 

 from all these, however, this bird possesses one 

 genuinely sweet, most musical note. It is a 

 single call which sounds like '' ee-ii ii." He 

 gives it sometimes when flying, and in captivity 

 when enjoying anything exceedingly. For in- 

 stance, in bathing he will utter that note, and 

 if one answers in a moderately close imitation 

 on the same key, he will repeat it. I have 

 kept one saying it over for twenty times or 

 more. 



Poets and naturalists have exhausted adjec- 

 tives in ridiculing the blackbird's song, but the 

 reasons for the peculiar discordance of a flock 

 are not far to seek. In the first place, when 

 birds begin to moult, and their usually clear, 

 decided notes break, crack, and fail miserably, 

 nearly every one takes refuge in silence. If he 

 cannot sing his best, he will not sing at all. 

 The blackbird is the only exception I know, 

 and he is so brimming over with spirits and jol- 

 lity that sing he must. He is not discouraged, 

 although his attempted " h' wa-ker-ee ! " ends 



