WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. 



ZONOTBICHIA ALBICOLLIS. 



FAMILIAR as the song of this bird is, few listeners 

 suspect that it is sung by a sparrow. In an ex- 

 treme northern town of Vermont, I often heard the song 

 when a boy, but never the name of the singer ; and I 

 have rarely heard him named since. The knowing ones 

 used to say the words of the song were, — 



"All day long fid-dle-in', fid-dle-in', fid-dle-in'." 



The little twelve-toned melody of this sparrow is a 

 flash of inspiration — one of those lucky finds, such as 

 the poets have — the charm of which lies in its rhythm. 



Let us look at it : — 



8va 



First come three long tones of equal length, forming 

 together one-half of the song entire ; then three clusters 

 of three short tones, triplets, each cluster being equal to 

 one of the long tones, and each of the short tones being 

 equal to one third of one of the long tones. How simple 

 the construction for so pleasing a performance ! 



The white-throat sings moderately and with exactness ; 

 singing often, and usually with several of his fellows. 



