A Bouquet of Song Birds 
While I would not presume to reverse the 
findings of the scientific court upon this point, 
I am at least at liberty to say that, if the note 
of this great crested member of the family be 
not music, it is surely one of the best imita- 
tions of music I have ever heard. He has no 
formal song, indeed, only the reiteration of a 
tone that is sometimes ‘‘ throaty,’’ and quite as 
often clear ; and this is about as much as can be 
said in praise of many of the much vaunted 
‘‘warblers;’’ but at least the tone is full, res- 
onant, and sometimes extremely rich. I vent- 
ure to say he knows more about music, now, 
than the nuthatch or the oven - bird, whose 
names stand in the chorus; and with a little 
training he would beat most of the vireos. 
This fellow gives one the impression of a merry 
brigand—a sort of Robin Hood—his loud, 
wild note ringing defiantly from the tops of the 
trees, as if in conscious defiance of his popular 
estimate. 
_At the other end of the line, in point of size, 
stands the ‘‘ least flycatcher,’’ which was doing 
very vigorous work for such a mite, as he 
perched within a few feet of me, and showed 
enough energy in his tone for half a dozen 
birds. If manner of utterance be any criterion, 
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