° 1918' J Hawkins, Sexual Selection and Bird Song. 433 



they too indulged in song. Most of them gave the single Robin 

 note but occasionally a more ambitious bird would roll out a 

 longer phrase, one bird answering another that called from a 

 distant tree. Then the entire flock would rise on wing, chirping 

 as they flew, as though glad they were living and could not with- 

 hold an expression of their joy. From the top of the pines the 

 Crows cawed at each other, tipping their bodies as they called in a 

 tilting motion, and protruding their necks and heads with each note. 



The fact that is too seldom taken into consideration is that while 

 the bird usually sings his most vigorous song and indulges in his 

 most frantic efforts around the nesting season, he does use his 

 voice at other times during the year, that there are few birds that 

 are entirely voiceless at any time. Sometimes he utters only a 

 call note, again the note of alarm, caused by sudden flight, while 

 again he sings apparently only for the pure joy of living. But 

 throughout each month of the year either a sign or spoken language 

 plays a part in the ceremony of his existence. His song is not 

 merely a thing related to his sexual life. It has a relationship to 

 his total existence. It is no more to be explained by the principle 

 of sexual selection than is the existence of the human voice, even 

 in its higher and finer modulation, by the same law. It is the 

 means by which the bird expresses himself to the outer world. 

 It is used according to the need of the hour or the season, the 

 instrument by which the bird communicates his needs or feelings. 



It is significant in this connection that so little has been said 

 concerning the voice of the female. The question may reasonably 

 be raised whether her voice is not much more important in nature's 

 scheme than that of the male. He is a much more ardent, vigorous 

 and accomplished singer. But after all that can be said about his 

 song the fact remains that it is not so very important. It is a 

 sort of grandstand performance. He is a sort of trobadour who 

 comes forth to please those who hear but it contributes nothing we 

 can see toward the protection or rearing of the young. But who 

 that has listened to the sweet, low notes of the mother to her young 

 or the alarm notes or clucks which cause her helpless brood to run 

 to hiding, can doubt that the voice of this female is very important 

 in the struggle for existence. If the purpose of selection is the 

 improvement of the race why might not some genius show that 



