14 The Field Naturalisfs Quarterly Feb. 



Bird=Son§: in Winter. 



By Charles A. Witchell. 



In winter, which may in an ornithological sense be con- 

 sidered as extending from the first day of November to 

 the first of March, the singing of birds, like the blooming 

 of flowers, is greatly dependent upon the clemency of the 

 weather. If soft westerly breezes blow continuously at 

 this season, the earliest plants begin to bud and bloom ; 

 and similarly the songs of birds — partly, perhaps, from the 

 same cause — become more and more noticeable. There 

 has been some conflict of opinion amongst observers as to 

 the influence of weather upon the singing of birds — arising, 

 doubtless, from a difference in the facts noticed. One 

 may go out on a bitter day and hear five or six species 

 in song ; another on a similar day may notice none ; and 

 the result is, that while the former observer is convinced 

 of the indifference of song-birds to the vagaries of our 

 climate, the latter is equally determined that severe weather 

 is fatal to bird -music. It is like the conflict of opinion 

 between a lazy summer loafer who only listens to birds at 

 noon or later, and an enthusiast who is up at dawn : each 

 may be right in his deductions from what he has himself 

 observed, and yet be diametrically opposed to the other. 

 This, however, is certain : that though for a day or two 

 after a spell of cold has commenced the birds may sing, 

 a little more of it will silence all of them, except some 

 lucky starling or robin for whom a kind human neighbour 

 provides an unfailing supply of food. And, on the con- 

 trary, though the first warm day may not stimulate to 

 song the birds that have been chilled and starved for 

 a week or two, yet it is surprising how soon after the 

 recurrence of active insect life around, music begins to 

 flow from the satisfied birds. Of course in really severe 

 weather even a well-fed robin is silent, and a plump star- 

 ling only chatters occasionally ; and after a long spell of 

 cold it will be found that the hedge-robins in the country 



