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FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE SONG-PERIODS 

 OF BIRDS. 



BY 

 C. J. AND H. G. ALEXANDER. 



In our previous article on this subject (Vol. I., p. 367) we 

 gave the song-periods of most of the recognized songsters 

 as observed in Kent and Sussex. We have not noticed 

 any distinct differences in a year's observations at Reading 

 and Cambridge, so that we may assume that these periods, 

 M'ith the corrections given at the end of this article, hold good 

 for the south-east of England generally, except in so far as 

 some species pass the winter in some parts and not in others. 

 The songs of some of the species with which we deal in the 

 present article are not always recognized as such ; in some 

 it is difficult to say which notes really constitute song. We 

 have not attempted a definition of song, but have discussed 

 the notes of the various sisecies in detail belo^^'. 



The Titmice and Nuthatch. 



The songs of the species of this group are nearly all repetitions 

 of separate notes ; several species have more than one song. 

 A song is recorded for the Long-tailed Tit m various works, 

 but we have not heard it. 



Great Tit [Parus m. newtoni*). — The songs consist of one, 

 two or three notes repeated in rapid succession ; those of 

 two and three notes generally ending with a single note. 

 Period. From the middle of August to the middle of June ; 

 the period during which it sings regularly is from the end 

 of December or early January to the beginning of June ; 

 only occasionally during the rest of the period, except in 

 September and early October, when in some years it sings 

 frequently. 



Coal-Tit (P. a. britannicus*) . — Two notes repeated 

 rapidly, the emphasis on the second. Period. Similar to 

 that of the Great Tit, but it generally sings more in autumn, 

 and may sing occasionally during most of the summer months. 



Marsh-Tit (P. p. dresseri*). — The songs are described in 

 Vol. IV., p. 147. Period. Occasionally in November and 

 December : frequently from early January to the end of 

 March or early May. We have also recorded it in June, 

 July and October. 



* We assuine tliat the birds observed by us are of the British form. 



