A MYSTICAL CALL. 209 



associated with the other birds, and he selected 

 for his perches those in the darker part of the 

 room, where his fellows did not go. Favorite 

 resting-places were the edge of a hanging map, 

 the top of a gas fixture, and a perch so near my 

 seat that most birds were shy of it. Though ex- 

 travagantly fond of water, requiring his bath 

 daily, he greatly disliked to bathe in the dishes 

 common to all. Like a royal personage, he pre- 

 ferred his bath in his own quarters. 



Moreover, the clarin never added his voice to a 

 medley of music. If moved to sing while others 

 were doing so, he first reduced them to silence 

 by a peculiar mystical call, which had a marked 

 effect not only upon every bird in the room, but 

 upon tlie human listeners as well. This call cut 

 into the ripple of sweet sounds about him like a 

 knife, loud, sharp, and incisive, instantly silen- 

 cing every bird. It consisted of two notes ex- 

 actly one octave apart, — the lower one first, — 

 uttered so nearly together that they produced 

 the effect of one double note. After a pause of 

 a few seconds it was repeated, as clear and dis- 

 tinct as before, with mouth open wide. It was 

 delivered with the deliberation of a thrush ; the 

 bird standing motionless except the tail, which 

 hung straight down, and emphasized every note 

 with a slight jerk. This loud call, having been 

 given perhaps twenty times, began to diminish in 



