A Book on Birds 



robin talk and robin music. Other 

 Robins (and even these, no doubt) have 

 many other notes and strains for other 

 experiences. 



For example, in an entirely different 

 case of nest-building that came under 

 my observation the male bird, unless my 

 eyes deceived me, did very little, if any 

 of the actual labor, confining himself 

 instead to a sort of bustling superintend- 

 ence of things; and the notes here seemed 

 to be altogether in keeping with just what 

 might be looked for under such conditions. 



And again; I have felt frequently that 

 there is no bird-cry in all the world which 

 is more truly intelligible than that of a 

 Robin bemoaning the loss of its young- 

 ling or its mate. Often, as it drops to a 

 cadence almost inaudible, it is so acutely 

 appeahng that it has appeared to me 

 the perfect intonation of hopeless grief. 



Several years ago a friend of mine was 

 brought by this fact into an experience 

 having almost enough in it to move one 

 to tears of sympathy. Upon a stone 



[36] 



