12 ON THE COAST OF MAINE 



est ease and enthusiasm. While he sang, a 

 second came and the first one flew, trilling 

 as he went. I saw both of them clearly, and 

 the white on the wings proclaimed them 

 white- winged crossbills, closely related to the 

 American crossbills I had been studying. 



The song was so ecstatic it seemed it must 

 belong to courtship days, yet it was then 

 near the end of July, another eccentricity 

 of the family. It could not be doubted that 

 it was an overflowing flood of joy, a joy 

 which overwhelmed the listener, spell-bound 

 as long as it lasted. Yet the most the books 

 say of this remarkable performance is " the 

 white- winged is said to be a fine singer " (or 

 words to that effect). 



After that morning the white-wings came 

 about frequently, mixing freely with the 

 others, and I learned to know them well. 

 Not only did they differ from their Ameri- 

 can cousins in song, but in every note they 

 uttered, even in the tone of voice. The call- 

 note was a plaintive " peet ! peet ! " resem- 

 bling that of the sandpiper, 



" Calling clear and sweet from cove to cove " ; 



