42 



THE OOLOGIST. 



jnisleading. But the similarity is 

 largely one of form; in expression 

 there is no more resemblance in their 

 voices than there is between the birds 

 themselves. There is an exquisite 

 purity in the joyous carol of the Gros- 

 beak; his song tells of all the gladness 

 of a May murning; I have heard few 

 happier strains of bird music." Dr. 

 Kirtland states (per Wheaton, "Birds 

 of Ohio") that in the cranberry 

 marshes of Northern Ohio its song 

 surpasses the Mockingbird in anima- 

 tion. Abbott in his "Birds About Us," 

 is extravagantly in favor of the Gros- 

 beak. 



This will suffice for the Grosbeak's 

 side. On the other hand we find the 

 following in John Burrough's "Wake- 

 Robin," in my opinion the fairest, 

 sharpest, double-sided view to be 

 found, containing as much meaning 

 as' could well be crowded in one sen- 

 tence. "It is a strong, vivacious 

 strain, a bright noon-day song, full of 

 health and assurance, indicating fine 

 talents in the performer^, but not 

 genius." Elsewhere from the same 

 source I quote the following at some 

 length, "In that free fascinating, 

 half-work and half-play pursuit,— sug- 

 ar making — a pursuit which still 

 lingers in many parts of New York, 

 as in New England — the Robin is one's 

 constant companion. When the day 

 is sunny and the ground bare, you 

 meet him at all points and hear him 

 at all hours. At sunset, on the tops 

 of the tall maples with look heaven- 

 ward and in a spirit of utter abandon- 

 ment, he carols his simple strain. 

 And sitting thus, amid the stark, 

 silent trees, above the wet, cold earth, 

 with the chill of winter still in the air, 

 there is no fitter or sweeter songster in 

 the whole round year. It is in keep- 

 ing with the scene and the occasion. 

 How round and genuine the notes are, 

 and how eagerly our ears drink them 

 in! The first utterance, and the spell 



of winter is thoroughly broken and 

 the remembrance of it afar off." 



And now I should contribute my 

 mite of opinion. The basis of this is 

 not mere taste, I trust. The chief rea- 

 sons why so many prefer the rich carol 

 of the Grosbeak to the uncertain but 

 plaintive and inspiring evensong of 

 the Robin are: 1. The Robin is so 

 much commoner, his notes so much 

 more familiar, and their novel beauty 

 cannot stand the test of eternal repeti- 

 tion while the Grosbeak is rare enough 

 always to command attention. 2. The 

 Robin is heard in prosaic, often 

 hideous situations, wliilethe Grosbeak 

 sings chiefly in the gorgeously bright 

 woods of May and June. 3. The 

 Robin's song has many detracting im- 

 perfections, his voice cracks most un- 

 musically at times, while all the Gros- 

 beaks are good singers. 



Transfer these items in favor of the 

 Robin — where they should be— and 

 the scale will weigh against the Gros- 

 beak. Clothe the beautiful Grosbeak 

 with the Robin's familiar chestnut 

 and grayish brown, bring him to the 

 "back yards" of the city, make him 

 as abundant as the Robin now is, and 

 sing as constantly, and it would take 

 a surprisingly short time to tire of 

 himi It is easy to avow we could 

 never tire of a song, but this cannot 

 be true. I have never yet met the 

 nature lover who could not find a con- 

 stantly-repeated song monotonous,— 

 "Variety is the spice of life 

 That gives it all its flavor," 

 says the poet, and this applies nicely 

 to the situation. 



I would not have it believed I depre- 

 ciate the Grosbeak's song; I could 

 listen to it for hours (but not forever). 

 I only seek to "give the devil his due." 



Green Leaves in Nests. 



Mr. J. H. Bowles article in "The 

 Oologist" for October set me lo look- 



