BIRDS WITH UNMUSICAL VOICES. 135 



crew up in the mountain, when some one of their 

 number has made a " ten strike." 



The song of the screech owl may be musical or 

 not, that is a matter of opinion ; but that it is a great 

 stimulant to the imagination there can be no possi- 

 ble shadow of doubt ! We perhaps think of all man- 

 ner of blood-curdling things which may be happen- 

 ing, and the suggestive voice fits the case exactly ; 

 in fact, we might find ourselves wondering why we 

 do not fly to the rescue ! 



Here is a peculiarly distressing crescendo shake 

 which is quite com- 

 mon : 



It is just a little bit 

 suggestive of a tree 

 toad, yet it is not the quiet, subdued voice of that 

 soothing little creature at 

 all. Again, the owl sings : 

 and we imagine some one 



- -., - , . . To-WOO to-WOO WOO 



badly hurt lying moaning 



and nearly breathless on the distant road. But again 

 we hear the strange voice, and now it sounds like a 

 far - away hys- 

 terical laugh : 

 This is the owl's 

 spring song ! 



The screech owl is a bird of prey, and he is not 



