THE SECRET OF THE WILLOW WREN 125 



to the author, on the blackbird's singing : " He 

 selects a spot where he is within hearing of a com- 

 rade, and then he begins quite at leisure (not all 

 in a hiu-ry like the thrush) a regular conversation. 

 ' And how are you ? Isn't this a fine day ? Let us 

 have a nice talk,' etc., etc. He is answered in the 

 same strain, and then replies, and so on. Nothing 

 more thoughtful, more refined, more feeling, can 

 be conceived." In another passage he writes : 

 " I love them (the robins), but they fill a much 

 smaller part than the blackbnd does in my heart. 

 To hear the blackbird talking to his mate a field 

 off, with deliberate, refined conversation, the very 

 acme of grace and courtesy, is perfectly splendid." 



There are two more common British songsters 

 that produce much the same effect as the willow 

 wren and blackbird ; these are the swallow and 

 pied wagtail. They are not in the first rank as 

 melodists, and I can find no explanation of the 

 fact that they please me better than the great 

 singers other than their more human-like tones, 

 which to my hearing have something of an ex- 

 ceedingly beautiful contralto sound. The swallow's 

 song is familiar to every one, but that of the wag- 

 tail is not well known. The bird has two distinct 

 songs : one, heard oftenest in early spring, con- 



