BIRD SONG HAWKINS. 471 



voice at other times during the year; that there are few birds that 

 are entirely voiceless at any time. Sometimes he utters only a 

 call note, again the note of alarm, caused by sudden fright, while 

 again he sings apparently only for the pure joy of living. But 

 throughout each month of the year either a sign or spoken language 

 plays a part in the ceremony of his existence. His song is not 

 merely a thing related to his sexual life. It has a relationship to 

 his total existence. It is no more to be explained by the principle 

 of sexual selection than is the existence of the human voice, even 

 in its higher and finer modulation, by the same law. It is the 

 means by which the bird expresses himself to the outer world. It 

 is used according to the need of the hour or the season — the instru- 

 ment by which the bird communicates his needs or feelings. 



It is significant in this connection that so little has been said 

 concerning the voice of the female. The question may reasonably 

 be raised whether her voice is not much more important in nature's 

 scheme than that of the male. He is a much more ardent, vigorous 

 and accomplished singer. But after all that can be said about his 

 song the fact remains that it is not so very important. It is a sort 

 of grandstand performance. He is a sort of troubadour who comes 

 forth to please those who hear, but it contributes nothing we can see 

 toward the protection or rearing of the young. But who that has 

 listened to the sweet, low notes of the mother to her young or the 

 alarm notes or clucks which cause her helpless brood to run to hiding, 

 can doubt that the voice of this female is very important in the 

 struggle for existence. If the purpose of selection is the improve- 

 ment of the race why might not some genius show that males select 

 the mate with the best cluck or call for the protection of her brood ? 

 It would certainly be a theory far more in harmony with nature's 

 plans. But, while no person would probably have the courage to 

 prove such a theory, it can not be doubted that the female has a 

 language and that it is far more important in the preservation of the 

 race than the more modulated language of the male. 



All of these facts must be taken into consideration before we can 

 adequately account for the song of birds. The sexual selection 

 theory is based too exclusively upon one period in the bird's life. 

 The bird has more than one season of song and there is no month 

 of the year when his voice does not play some part in his life. The 

 female has a language as well as the male. It must be evident that 

 any explanation which will be adequate to account for bird language 

 must cover every season and must be found in the inner life of the 

 bird rather than in outward circumstances or choices. 



Again there are certain types of sign language which are much 

 more universal among birds than has generally been assumed. Much 

 emphasis has been placed upon the displays and love dances of 



