94 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



where lie loves to dwell, lie will flit to a perch 

 on a bush or sapling and regale me with an 

 exquisite solo for a minute ; then he will prob- 

 ably turn around on the same twig and chant 

 another lay. Presently he will swing himself 

 to a higher perch and break out into a third 

 and louder strain that throbs across the marsh. 

 As if this were not enough, he will drop down 

 into the copse out of sight and sing a soft, pen- 

 sive lullaby or madrigal, so tender, so ravish- 

 ino^, that one almost fancies it nmst come from 

 dreamland. I have often heard him trill from 

 four to six variations within ten or fifteen 

 minutes. 



His arias are composed of somewhat pro- 

 longed notes and rapid runs. Sometimes he 

 opens with a trill and closes with several long 

 syllables. More frequently this order is re- 

 versed. . He often begins with one, two, or 

 three long notes, then follows with an exqui- 

 site trill, and makes a climax by closing with 

 a loud, long-drawn syllable. The long notes 

 sometimes come near the middle of his song. 

 The fact is, the position of the various parts of 

 his carols is constantly shifted, according to the 

 mood of the happy little minstrel. 



Nor must it be supposed that these notes and 

 trills are the same in key and quality of tone. 



