APPENDIX. 161 



Wood Thrush. — Contin. 



music of the birds has received so little attention. The 

 other evening I heard these notes : — 



b^ 



^ 



^^ 



Is it not wonderful that a bird should give so exquisite a 

 succession of tones ? No human genius can surpass it. I 

 repeat it, the birds have found out the beautiful and have 



been our teachers." — C, S. P., in a letter dated June 17, 1885. 



" In elaborate technique and delicious portamento, it surpasses all the 

 other thrushes. . . . The wood thrushes, more than any other birds I 

 know of, exhibit various degrees of excellence, some individuals singing 

 much more beautifully than others." — Nelson, U. L. : Birds songs about 

 Worcester, p. 46. 



For variations in songs of birds of the same species, see Index : Songs, 

 Variations in. 



" The song of this thrush is one of its most remarkable and pleasing 

 characteristics. No lover of sweet sounds can have failed to notice it, 

 and having once known its source, no one can fail to recognize it when 

 heard again. The melody is one of great sweetness and power, and con- 

 sists of several parts, the last note of which resembles the tinkling of a 



times with a friend, but oftener alone with his pitch-pipe and a scrap of 

 music-paper. When successful, he would return, elated and beaming, to 

 talk about his experience, and transfer the song he had taken, after writ- 

 ing it carefully over, to a sheet of music paper, for reference when he 

 should write up the description, later. 



" He said that the first song of a bird, or rather on hearing a song for 

 the first time, it did not present itself clearly to his mind. It was only 

 after several repetitions that he unravelled it and was able to write it out. 



" When at work, writing up his descriptions, he usually preferred to be 

 alone, but invariably would wish to read aloud what he had written and 

 talk about it, and would generally end by saying, even though changes 



were suggested, ' Well, I '11 send it to just as it is and see what 



he says to it.' His best work was always done in the morning or first 

 part of the day." — Cheney, Mrs. Julia C, in a letter to the editor, dated July 

 14, 1890, Franklin, Mass. 



11 



