38 BIRDRONGS. 
far from being a dead uniformity. Aside from 
the fact, already mentioned, that the character- 
istic strain is sometimes given with extraordi- 
nary sweetness and emphasis, there are often to 
be detected variations of a more formal charac- 
ter. This is noticeably true of robins. It may 
almost be said that no two of them sing alike ; 
while now and then their vagaries are conspic- 
uous enough to attract general attention. One 
who was my neighbor last year interjected into 
his song a series of four or five most exact imi- 
tations of the peep of a chicken. When I first 
heard this performance, I was in company with 
two friends, both of whom noticed and laughed 
at it; and some days afterwards I visited the 
spot again, and found the bird still rehearsing 
the same ridiculous medley. I conjectured that 
he had been brought up near a hen-coop, and, 
moreover, had been so unfortunate as to lose 
his father before his notes had become thor- 
oughly fixed; and then, being compelled to 
finish his musical education by himself, had 
taken a fancy to practice these chicken calls. 
This guess may not have been correct. All I 
can affirm is that he sang exactly as he might 
have been expected to do, on that supposition ; 
but certainly the resemblance seemed too close 
to be accidental. 
The variations of the wood thrush are fully 
