Vol. XXIV1 

 1907 J 



Howell and Oldys, The Bewick Wren. 



151 



No sufficient opportunity offered to write the rest of the song 

 on the staff, but the three notes with which it closed may be indi- 

 cated by the syllables 'sweet, sweet, sweet,' uttered rather rapidly. 



This song bore no resemblance to that of any other bird in this 

 region, and was probably the wren's own. But that the Bewick 

 Wren is an excellent mimic, was very palpably shown by the indi- 

 vidual bird under consideration. The possession of an imitative 

 faculty was indicated by the first songs noted; but before the 

 interview was over the bird gave unquestionable proof of its 

 powers by directly imitating the songs of a Chewink and a Field 

 Sparrow that were singing near by, following each song by those 

 birds with an imitation of it. The mimicry was mainly in quality 

 of voice and style of theme, though the intervals used by the che- 

 wink and the sparrow were fairly closely followed by the wren. 

 Thus when the chewink sang — 



the wren responded with 



= 192. 



£3 



*£ 



or sometimes 



And when the Chewink changed to 





