1912 J Wright, Morning Awakening and Even-Song. 309 



the flowing river or by the occasional piping of a hyla or croaking 

 of a frog in a pond-hole some distance away, and once by the 

 voice of a Whip-poor-will coming up from the valley. A few fire- 

 flies flitting about have often given a touch of animation to the 

 foreground. Although at this time the darkness of night still 

 prevails, the first glimmer of light has been apparent in the eastern 

 sky even at 2.40 or 2.45 o'clock. This is soon followed by the first 

 bird-notes, a Song Sparrow or a Chippy not far away breaking 

 forth into its song once, or perhaps the song of an Alder Flycatcher 

 in the middle distance once given, or the twitter of Barn Swallows 

 at the nearest farm barn, or the sudden awakening and cackling 

 of a Robin near by. Our neighbor's cocks also awake and crow 

 at this time. The sparrows mentioned above at first give repeti- 

 tions of their song at intervals only, two or three individuals of each 

 species thus expressing themselves, but presently a Robin breaks 

 forth into singing and continues with scarcely an interruption for 

 about forty-five minutes, singing most joyously. The first Robin 

 is soon joined by a second and a third and a fourth, their voices 

 uniting in a loud and exuberant chorus. One Chipping Sparrow 

 after another also joins in until three or four are singing, and these 

 repeat their trills shortened from the usual length in a most hurried 

 and excited way, seeming to be animated by a spirit of eager haste 

 which is not manifested in their singing later in the day. x\lready 

 one voice after another from several different species within range 

 has joined in the concert. Meanwhile the pale light of the dawn 

 has gradually brightened in the eastern sky and a faint light has 

 begun to be diffused around. This is still quite dim at 3.15, but at 

 3.25 or 3.30 it has become sufficient to dispense with artificial 

 light and begin to see by the light of day. 



The birds remain on their night perches apparently until after 

 3.30 and commonly until 3.45 or 3.50, or even 4 o'clock. For the 

 voices up to this time come from the same locations and the songs 

 reach the ear unchanged in sound as to direction or distance. 

 Moreover the light by 3.30 o'clock has become sufficient for dis- 

 cerning a bird if it were in motion. The earliest record of move- 

 ment which has been noted, with one exception mentioned later 

 under the Robin, was that of a Chipping Sparrow dropping from 

 its perch in a maple by the gate to the driveway at 3.30 and con- 



