BIRDS, FLOWERS, AND PEOPLE 117 



indeed, I wrote with perfect confidence : 

 " The song is clearly distinguishable from 

 that of the northern bird, — less musical, 

 more woodeny and chippery ; " more like 

 the chipping sparrow's, I meant to say. If 

 I had come away then, with one bird's trill 

 to go upon, that would have been my ver- 

 dict, to be printed, when the time came, 

 without misgiving. But further observation 

 brought further light, or, if the reader will, 

 further obscurity. Some individuals were 

 better singers than others, — so much was to 

 be expected ; but taking them together, their 

 music was that of ordinary snowbirds such 

 as I had always listened to. For aught my 

 ears told me, I might have been in Fran- 

 conia. This is not to assert that the Alle- 

 ghanian junco has not developed a voice in 

 some measure its own ; I believe it has ; 

 probability has more authority than per- 

 sonal experience with me in matters of this 

 kind; but the change is as yet too incon- 

 siderable for my senses to appreciate on a 

 short acquaintance, with no opportunity for 

 a direct comparison. In such cases, it is 

 perhaps true that one needs to trust the first 

 lively impression, — which has, undeniably. 



