36 BULLETIN 196, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



draw the line between them, to decide whether we are dealing with 

 two different notes or variants of one note. 



The following list, it is hoped, will serve to differentiate 10 common 

 notes of the robin. The syllables, of course, are merely approxima- 

 tions of what we hear, and the few words of comment aim to help 

 out the shortcomings that must arise when we attempt to transcribe 

 into letters the voice of a bird. 1. Seech-ook; an exclamatory note 

 which the young robin utters soon after leaving the nest. 2. Pleent, 

 tut-tut-tut; the first note, which might be written plint, and sometimes 

 sounds more like week, is usually single, but may be repeated once or 

 twice, and may be given without the tut notes. It is a sort of gasp, 

 accented, higher in pitch than the succeeding, more rapid tuts. The 

 latter (huh suggests the aspirated quality) may be likened to the inter- 

 jection commonly written "humph," representing a low-spokeD ex- 

 clamation. 3. Sss, tut-tut-tut; a sibilant variation of the above, a 

 tremulous, sibilant sound, a shaky squeal, followed by troubled sob- 

 bing. 4. Skeet, skeet; two or three high screams, uttered as if in haste. 

 5. Seech, each-each-each; a screaming variant of 2 and 3. It may be 

 given see-seech with the second note accented and on a higher pitch. 

 A common note, suggesting unrest. 6. He-he-he-he-he; a rapid, laugh- 

 ing giggle, suggesting sometimes a note of the red-winged blackbird, 

 or in lighter, more musical form it may run quickly up aDd down the 

 scale. This is the note which reminded Schuyler Mathews (1921) of 

 the once popular song "Hiawatha." 7. Chill-ill-ill-ill; varying from 

 3 to 8 notes, given in a tinkling voice, the chill struck firmly, the ills 

 successively losing force and dropping slightly in pitch to the final ill. 

 The rhythm strongly suggests the ringing of the kind of bell formerly 

 used on ambulances and police wagons. In tone of voice and in 

 pitch this note resembles the song but differs from it in phrasing. 



8. Hisselly-hisselly ; sibilant, whispered phrases arranged as in song. 

 It is associated with courtship apparently. The hiss may also be 

 given in one long syllable, repeated slowly with downward inflection. 



9. Sssp; a faint, trembling hiss, a refinement of the shriek (4) often 

 given when a bird starts away in flight, and at the close of the day 

 as it flies to its roost. 10. A low, sobbing note with a deep undertone; 

 a note of trouble. A modification of the tut or huh, but clearly recog- 

 nizable in quality and slow delivery as an entity. It is given when a 

 cat is prowling near. 



Tilford Moore tells in his notes of June 19, 1941, of a young robin's 

 attempt at song: "He was in our lilac, not three feet from our dining 

 room window, facing us, so we could see his speckled breast moving 

 with his song. The song was a squeaky and quiet effort, much like 

 the baby feeding cry in tone, but definitely a song after the adult 

 morning song pattern." 



