89 THE STORY OF THE BIRDS. 
similar tendencies to keep off his domain and away 
from his beloved. Several males will reply to each 
other’s boastings and threats, much as our common 
chicken. 
In fact, this is a larger use of song than is usually 
estimated, and its highest use—that of musical rivalry 
or emulation—has come out of it. Near the writer’s 
home a circle of as many as five rose-breasted gros- 
beaks have been heard singing, each taking turns at 
his rollicking warbling, while all the others keep re- 
spectful silence. 
But not always does such consideration prevail, 
for some use song as a means of encounter almost. 
The gentle dove will break in upon his rival’s “ coo” 
sometimes, and whip-poor-wills will often get near 
each other and try to drown each other’s voices out by 
jumbling up ridiculously and rapidly their usually de- 
liberate calls. Likewise the turkey’s gobble is intended 
to drown the challenge of his rival. 
But this reminds us that many birds have different 
tones for various phases of their emotions. The tur- 
key’s gobble is purely his challenge or defiance, but 
he has a tender, low eall besides. Yet his vocabulary 
is so incomplete that he uses this last as his war cry 
while fighting. Burroughs has noted that the battle 
ery of the bluebird is his melody which he uses for 
all purposes, except when he sets up that pessimistic 
wail of his at the prospect of his autumnal departure. 
Likewise, when the rose-breasted grosbeak fights 
he sings melodiously. 
Other birds, especially thrushes, robins, catbirds, 
