70 HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



The swamp sparrow and the pine warbler are among 

 the rather early birds, and each has a simple trill after 

 the manner of the junco. The sparrow, though, 

 sings from the swamp, and the junco now is soon 

 gone, thus making less the confusion of trills, though 

 the chippy promptly takes his place. The crows are 

 mating and noisy, as are the blue jays with their es- 

 sentially corvine screams, their little rolling alarm- 

 whistle, and mimicry of the hawk. 



Early in May nearly everything pours in at once. 

 It would be impossible and unnecessary here to de- 

 scribe each song, and there are special books to treat 

 of this in full. My purpose is rather to throw out 

 suggestions of method and practical hints for work- 

 ing, to start the bird-lover in the way he should go. 

 It will be a delightful way, though not always plain 

 sailing. In learning notes there is always bound to 

 be some confusion and uncertainty. Even when one 

 has learned the most characteristic songs and notes of 

 many of the birds and thinks he can recognize them, 

 he will find that most species have more or less variety 

 in expression, and individuals often develop personal 

 peculiarities in their speech. Some song sparrow 

 will warble a new song and make you think, till you 

 actually see it sing, that a new bird has arrived. This 

 adds to the difficulty, but on the other hand makes 

 the study all the more fascinating. If one persists, 

 as with the musician, there will be in time a consid 

 erable and growing repertoire. 



Perhaps I am not too fanciful when I feel that 



