FAMILY Fringillide. 
on the rugged ground of the Middlesex, Fells, near Bos- 
ton, and anyone with a knowledge of music would un- 
questionably pronounce the song of this species one of 
the best melodic demonstrations of a combined acceler- 
ando and crescendo which an exacting ear could de- 
mand. Minot seems to have held a good opinion of the 
song, for he says it opens with ‘‘a few exquisitely modu- 
lated whistles, each higher and a little louder than the 
preceding, and closes with a sweet trill. But a musi- 
cian’s opinion is nearer to the truth, and we cannot im- 
prove on the following one by Mr. Cheney, who writes, 
‘‘Scarcely anything in rhythmics and dynamics is more 
difficult than to give a perfect accelerando and crescendo ; 
and the use of the chromatic scale by which the Field 
Sparrow rises in his lyric flight involves the very pith 
of melodic ability. This little musician has explored the 
whole realm of sound, and condensed its beauties in per- 
fection into one short song.” Minot’s description of the 
music (as has already been pointed out by Mr. Cheney) 
is not quite correct; there are no modulations of the 
opening ‘‘ whistles,” they are all on the same pitca ; and 
only the middle tones rise or fall, as the case may be, 
progressing to a final so-called trill, thus: 
8 
Tranquillo, Accelerando et crescendo. 
s tt 3 a oan ee = Ee eee 
exam (1A = 
2 - GR | a ND MN EE A OS A TIT 
ey il eedddsde do 
Yd dd gl gl gl OF Ce @ OX ee 
Nel-l-t-1-l- y-ly-lylyly BY YY yy yYYY 
In this very common song, which is confined to the nar- 
row compass of a minor third, the tones ascend, and are 
an amusing elaboration of the three opening notes of 
the old melody Nellie Piy! In another song almost as 
familiar the little singer reverses the order and descends 
the scale : 
Tranquillo. Accelerando et crescendo. 
TS LS ON LE Aa AN A A OY MIG) A men oes 
oy. (cea a= P* Per ae a ea 
ee © eee Oe CLIITALIZIL t my 
TART ETRE DE MMT DR ieee 
104 
