Impressions of the Voices of Tropical Birds 169 



sized Dendrocolapies, the tiny Xenops, and all between, are mainly wood- 

 brown varying from rusty to olive, and streaked or not, but never boldly 

 marked. They are also fairly unanimous in their songs, though of course 

 there is considerable variation. Most that I have heard have a harsh, raspy 

 note of alarm or displeasure, and many species sing a loud, ringing song that 

 strongly recalls our Canon Wren; tee, twee, tui, tui, tool, tool, a descending 

 series of whistles, which, pure and piercing in the lesser species, becomes 

 coarse and 'Woodpeckery' in the larger. There are really no fine singers 

 in this group, although several make pleasant sounds in the spicy-scented 

 slashings, and all are interesting. They are rather silent birds, as a rule, and, 

 as the family contains many rare and curious types, which are elusive and 

 tricky, they are a never-ending source of interest and curiosity. 



The Woodpeckers may be dismissed in a sentence. Their calls and notes 

 are all perfectly typical of the group as we know it in this country, and I 

 recall no species that deviate noticeably from the well-known types of cries 

 and calls by which we recognize our own species. 



