208 ADVENTURES AMONG BIRDS 



his voice when imitating the small or weak-voiced 

 songsters, but in spite of the subduing the song, 

 coming from his larger organ, had gained in 

 power and penetration. With the marsh warbler 

 it is just the reverse : the low songs are reproduced 

 with fidelity, the loud strains while retaining their 

 exact form are emitted in a lower tone. Thus, he can 

 copy the phrases of the thrush, but the notes do not 

 carry much further than his imitation of the willow- 

 wren. One is reminded of Sir John Davies' lines — 



All things received do such proportions take 



As those things have wherein they are received ; 



So little glasses little faces make, 

 And narrow webs on narrow frames be weaved. 



On the other hand he makes many of the songs he 

 copies sweeter and more beautiful than their originals. 

 We may say that he is a perfect artist in his borrowings, 

 and brings the songs of all the others into harmony 

 with his own native notes and with one another. This 

 was observed by Warde Fowler, who was the first in 

 England to describe the song. He wrote : " In spite 

 of many imitations in which the bird indulges there is 

 always a very sweet silvery individuality about the 

 song, which makes it quite unmistakable." In that 

 native quality of the voice, its silvery sweetness, 

 it comes nearest, I think, to the reed warbler's song. 

 Its silvery sweet quality is indeed the principal merit 

 of this warbler's strains, which can only be properly 

 appreciated when the listener stands or sits on a level 

 with the reeds within a very few yards of the singer. 



