FEBRUARY OUTINGS. 61 
never before heard from a song-sparrow’s throat. 
Some of his tones are full and exultant, while others 
in the same run are low and tender, like the strains 
of a love-lorn harp. ‘The tones produced by exha- 
lation can be distinguished from those produced 
by inhalation. Sometimes his voice sounds a little 
hoarse, as if he had strained one of the strings of 
his lyre, but I find, on focusing my ear upon them, 
that these are some of his most melodious notes. 
Presently, in a fit of ecstasy, he hurls forth such a 
torrent of song, in alegro furioso, that one almost 
fancies the naiads and water-witches of the marsh 
are crying out for admiration. 
‘‘ Here is something worthy of note — when the 
song-sparrow begins a trill, he usually sings it over a 
number of times, and then, as if wearied with one 
tune, turns to another; and yet with all his varia- 
tions — and I know not how many he is capable of 
singing — there is always something distinctive about 
his minstrelsy that differentiates it from that of all 
other birds.” 
February 17. “Again in the swamp. It seems 
to me I have never before heard the song-sparrows 
sing so gleefully. Every concert goes ahead of its 
predecessor. Here is a sparrow hopping about on 
the green grass among the bushes like a brown 
mouse; now he chirps sharply as if to attract my 
attention, and then bursts into a melody that almost 
makes me turn a somersault for very joy; and now, 
having sung his intermittent trills for a few minutes, 
he begins to warble a sweet, continuous lay, with an 
andante movement, as if he could not stop. 
