FAMILY Turdide&. 
There is an immense contrast in the dynamics of the 
song; it ranges from pp to ff ; there is nothing of this kind 
which characterizes the Wood Thrush’s music. Also, 
there is a remarkable, mysterious overtone, purely har- 
monic and ventriloquistic in quality, which at times 
dominates the cadenza of the song and holds the listener 
in rapt surprise! Unless one is very near the singer this, 
and all the wonderful pianissimo effects are completely 
lost. Onthe contrary, at near range, some of the more 
powerful notes are almost ear-splitting. I am not alone 
in this estimate of the Hermit’s song, as the following 
lines from the pen of Prof. Theodore Clarke Smith will 
testify *: ‘‘ The voice of the Hermit Thrush was made in- 
dividual by overtones giving it a considerable richness 
and penetration and even a metallic burr or buzz. It 
suggested somewhat the reed-quality of the oboe super- 
added to a flute’s open tone. . . . The ‘ burr’ was 
audible at short ranges only. At a hundred yards or less 
it blended to give the voice a singularly ringing metallic 
quality which gave it a carrying power unapproached 
by any other bird of that region. . . . Heard from 
a very close range the long full notes were fairly pierc- 
ing, so sweet, full, and vibrant were they. They were 
too loud for comfort, and when the bird suddenly began 
to sing while perched on a fence about ten feet from my 
tent it fairly made my ears ring.” Prof. Smith has also 
stated that he heard this Thrush’s song at a distance of 
fully three quarters of a mile over Lake Memphrema- 
gog. After such testimony as this it does not seem 
necessary to further refute the statement that the Her- 
mit Thrush’s song is lacking in volume. As for the 
variety of his notes, the notations herewith speak for 
themselves; and lest anyone should think these are a bit 
florid, I again take the liberty of quoting, from Prof. 
Smith’s article, and suggest that his following notation 
be compared with some of mine: 
* Vide The Ohio Naturalist, Vol. III., No. 4, pg. 871. A Hermit 
Thrush Song. This isa truthful and most excellent analysis of 
the music of this remarkable Thrush, whose song is not as familia™ 
to the bird-lover as it ought to be. 
266 
