IVHAT BIRDS SAY AND SING 251 



while they sang a rolling chorus full of "See-see, 

 zip-zee, wee, wee, tu, tu, 'tswee-e, zillup, zip, zip." 

 Which note belonged to which bird it was out of the 

 question to say in the dense foliage so nearly the 

 delicate yellowish green of many of the birds that 

 it was impossible to distinguish the green and yel- 

 low ones until they moved. 



I have had several experiences working around 

 the nest of a Maryland yellow-throat, but I can de- 

 scribe his call note no better than to say that it is a 

 sweep of sound, which I can not express in syllables 

 of even the crudest form, but when it comes to a song 

 in tones distinctly human and clearly defined, the yel- 

 low-throat sings :" Witchery, witchery, witchery "and 

 again: "What a pity," two or three times repeated. 

 Then, like a breath of grace notes, he warbles: 

 "You, you" followed by a clear tide of pure, full 

 song: "I beseech you, I beseech you, I beseech 

 you!" These notes are so clearly uttered and so 

 charmingly intoned that there is no question what- 

 ever that the little singer would have his demands 

 granted if he only would go so far as to say what 

 it is that he wants. 



Another of our star performers is the catbird, 

 named from his tribal call: "Me-ouw" sometimes 

 cut short and sometimes long-drawn, always of 

 such feline quality that it is easy to see how he 

 gained his common name. As a singer, he is one 

 of our choicest. He sings a mocking conglomera- 

 tion of high notes of the robin, chat, vireo, several 



