1902 Bird- Song in Winter 15 



can hardly sing at all, and the starlings are much quieter 

 than usual. 



There is a class of naturalists who seem to think that a 

 bird sings in heedless fulfilment of the tendencies of sex, in 

 a somewhat analogous manner to the ticking of a clock 

 when wound ; and that the chill of mid-winter deadens this 

 virile factor, and so puts an end to the vocal evidence of it. 

 But this statement of the case slanders the enthusiasm and 

 artistic intelligence of some of our singers — such, for in- 

 stance, as the starling, who, long months before pairing, 

 sings by the hour a greatly varied song, and practises new 

 strains again and again, as though he enjoyed singing for 

 its own sake and were proud of his song. He will do this 

 when quite alone on the chimney-top as well as when his 

 mate is near ; and she, close beside him, may sometimes be 

 heard as well as seen to join her feebler voice with his and 

 prove that she too can sing. It is this winter-singing, with 

 all its perseverance, wonderful mimicry, and attempted vari- 

 ation, so long before the nest is built, that raises the star- 

 ling to a higher artistic plane than even that of the night- 

 ingale, whose triumph seems to be more immediately the 

 result of temporary passion. 



But we must not be thought to postpone the date of com- 

 mencement of the starling's singing to the beginning of 

 winter, for very many of the old birds return to the sites of 

 their nests as early as the first days of August, at which time 

 also the robin's song is resumed ; and thenceforward on 

 every fine day the songs of these birds may be heard. They 

 do not begin with the full loud songs of September, October, 

 and later ; but throughout the remainder of the year 

 gradually become louder and more vehement, with more 

 perseverance and variety, suggesting in an obvious manner 

 the course of evolution through which the songs of the 

 species may in past ages have been developed. One or two 

 well-known naturalists have sought to establish the theory 

 of a distinguishable autumn song in these and some other 

 species ; but, after years of close observation of these same 

 species, I am unable to find any evidence in support of such 

 a distinction. It is especially desirable that such observa- 

 tion should be continuous, else will the gradual development 



