1912 J Wright, Morning Aivakening and Even-Song. 315 



The lusty character of the Robin's song from the time of its 

 beginning throughout its first forty-five minutes' period of singing 

 constitutes it the conspicuous early singer and makes it appear 

 to be the earliest singer of all, whereas the Song Sparrow and the 

 Chipping Sparrow both precede the Robin in a few earlier expres- 

 sions of song. These, however, are later than the Robin in giving 

 themselves over to singing and in attaining the full spirit of exuber- 

 ance which the Robin attains at once upon beginning to sing. 



4. The Alder Flycatcher {Empidonax trailli alnorum) was 

 once heard to sing as early as 2.09, repeating the song at 2.23 and 

 again at 2.35, on June 16, 1904. On another occasion a bird sang 

 at 2.18 twice and at 2.29 again. These, doubtless, should be rcy 

 garded as utterances in the night, such as the Song and the Chipping 

 Sparrow and the Oven-bird have sometimes been heard to make. 

 These birds began to sing in the usual way with repetitions after 

 short pauses at 2.53 and 2.54 respectively. Ten records furnish 

 the average time of 3.03 for the first singing, the range having been 

 from 2.47, 2.53 and 2.54 to 3.15 (twice). The song is often contin- 

 ued thirty or forty minutes, but sometimes is lost to the ear much 

 sooner. Frequently two birds have been within the range of hear- 

 ing, the second beginning to sing soon after the first. 



5. Barn Swallow {Hirundo erythrogastra). The twitter of a 

 colony at a neighboring farm barn has been one of the earliest 

 sounds. It is steadily maintained and seems to proceed at first 

 from the birds on their night perches. The earliest record is 2.46 

 on July 9, 1906. Other earliest records are 2.51 and 2.59 (twice). 

 The average time based on eleven records is 3.04 o'clock. A little 

 later the song comes from the air as the birds circle in flight, — 

 once even as early as 3.32, — when the light is still quite dim and 

 scarcely any other birds have left their night perches. 



6. The White-throated Sparrow {Zonotrichia albicoUis) is 

 not located within hearing on the Highland, but is a regular sum- 

 mer resident of the valley. Only occasionally at any hour has its 

 voice been heard at the house or in the yard. But on June 27, 

 1909, at 3.06 the song came up distinctly to the ear and was re- 

 corded. On one other occasion, June 23 of the same year, when I 

 was at Cherry Pond for the night, the song was first heard at 3.05 

 in the morning; from a bird near at hand. 



