1 40 Summer Studies of Birds and Books CHAP. 



the moult well over than he is on the move again, 

 and again in song. And that autumn song is to me 

 always peculiarly sweet and eloquent. It is the natural 

 outpouring, I think, of high spirits and happiness, after 

 a period of illness and change has been successfully 

 passed. Sometimes it is accompanied with signs of 

 love and courtship, and in a warm season these 

 occasionally result in fresh pairing, and even in a 

 nest and eggs. But I cannot believe that all the 

 singing is here love-making ; nor yet to be explained 

 by animosity towards other males. I look on both 

 singing and courting as equally flowing from the 

 same cause viz. renewed health and spirits and 

 enjoyment. I remember once at Knaresborough, 

 and again in Nidderdale three years ago, in fine 

 weather, finding every garden and hedge echoing 

 with the songs of Eobins the first day or two of 

 October ; had all those songs meant love-making or 

 quarrelling, I must have seen something more of it 

 than I did. And they could hardly have meant 

 mere practising ; if constant listening to birds' voices 

 can give one any idea of their meaning, then I think 

 I have a right to say that those Eobins were singing 

 from pure enjoyment of the autumn sunshine, of the 

 abundance of food and moisture, of fresh access of 

 bodily health and comfort. 



The song of the Chaffinch is familiar to every one 

 whose mind has ever been occupied with these things. 



