A BEWITCHING WHISPER-SONG 235 



Somewhat later in the day the ehewink, 

 or towhee bunting, would ring his silver bell- 

 like peal, and when at its best this is one 

 of our most exquisite bird-songs. A ehewink 

 who came about the camp daily, added to the 

 usual strain which is two staccato notes 

 followed by a tremolo considerably higher 

 two more tremolos on different and lower 

 keys, uttered so softly one could hardly hear 

 them, but of a liquid, rapturous quality 

 which defies description. 



A little away from our grove the meadow- 

 lark was glorious. Sometimes I was happy 

 enough to hear his bewitching whisper-song 

 in a sweet, low, trilling undertone, interpo- 

 lated between the strains of the ordinary 

 loud performance. That is another charm of 

 the morning, the frequency with which the 

 birds indulge in these peculiar undertone 

 efforts, singing to themselves, as it were, 

 and evidently not intending the public to 

 hear. The diversity of sentiment about the 

 song of the Western meadow-lark, which we 

 often see expressed in print, is easily ex- 

 plained by the simple fact that the birds 

 differ in quality of voice and execution. 



