24 The Wilson Bulletin — 'So. 106 



GENERAL NOTES 



RECORDING BIRD SONGS. 



The present method of recording bird songs is artificial and un- 

 satisfactory, and I am hoping to stir up interest in this subject, 

 so that by discussion we may arrive at some standard method 

 of describing bird songs and bird calls. 



Distinction must be made between the voice of a bird and his 

 song, and there is a difference between musical, i.e. melodious 

 notes and unmusical, i.e. piercing notes. Every time a bird makes 

 a sound, he does not necessarily sing. 



I think we are safe in saying that birds have (1) ordinary song 

 or songs, which they give during the entire season, and (2) a 

 mating song of more elaborate character, which they give during 

 a limited period. They also have (3) a series of musical call 

 notes, (4) signal notes, and often (5) alarm notes. 



In discussing the songs of birds, we must bear in mind that 

 such songs have quality, — pitch, — rhythm, — melody, — and time, and 

 in noting such songs it will be necessary for us to use the ordin- 

 ary musical scale to which orchestral instruments are tuned in 

 preference to the tempered scale of the piano. 



In suggesting the qiuiUty of the tone, I would make four divis- 

 ions: (1) like a banjo, i.e. gut strings; a zither, i.e. wire strings; 

 (2) a flute, i.e. head tones; a bassoon, i.e. throat tones. 



In describing the pitch, it may be well to assume that birds 

 sing in the second, third and fourth and fifth octaves above 

 middle C. 



In describing the scale, it might be well to use the four strings 

 of the violin rather than the piano notation. 



Each species of birds has a rhytJim of its own, which is marked 

 and decided, (but erratic within limitations) and substantially the 

 same in each male of the species, although not identical. 



In describing the tivie, we may say that it is erratic and varia- 

 ble and difficult to accurately classify, but using metronome mark- 

 ings, as a basis, the speed should be increased from four to ten 

 times. 



In describing melodies, we may say that they are never sus- 

 tained, but are usually in short theme-like phrases, with an orna- 

 mentation of trills, or low pendant phrases interspersed between 

 the themes. Phrasing in each species is, in general, alike, but 

 varied by each individual. I have heard Song Sparrows from the 

 same family sing six different variants of the same general song. 



As an example, I venture to suggest the following method of 

 description varied as occasion requires to meet the facts: 



