^°l9^4^^] Oldys, Song of the Wood Pewee. 



almost identical with the preceding example ; 



273 



a very melodious song, one of three that were heard simultaneously; 



J = 84. 



in which the repetition of the first phrase is omitted — pitch a 

 shade flatter than E ; final note very lightly touched, the stress 

 falling on the preceding F#; and 



in which the tempo is somewhat more strenuous than in the pre- 

 ceding examples. 



In addition to these and other variations that have come under 

 my personal observation, there is a very peculiar one reported to 

 me by Mr. Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. A Wood Pewee near his home 

 in Alexandria County, Va., occasionally rendered the rhythmical 

 song in a much higher key and in what Mr. Miller calls a falsetto 

 voice — very light and high. 



The song is usually sung over and over in strict time and with- 

 out pause between verses. I have known it to continue for fifteen 

 or twenty minutes at a time. It is usually preceded, and often 

 followed, by the ordinary detached phrases. According to my 

 experience it is never sung after dark, though the usual song may 

 frequently be heard through the night, but seems to be confined 

 almost entirely to dawn and dusk. It is not peculiar to any 

 particular season during the Wood Pewee's stay with us, as I 

 have noted it from shortly after the bird's arrival in spring to 

 at least as late as September 7. 



In closing this brief account I would call attention to the 



