A MUSICAL KEY. 



Key of E flat = 3 flats, begins a fifth below B flat, at 

 E flat, and flats A, B, and E. 



Key of A flat = 4 flats, begins a fifth below E flat, at 

 A flat, and flats A, B, D, and E. 



Key of D flat = 5 flats, begins a fifth below A flat, at 

 D flat, and flats D, E, G, A, and B. 



I have no records of bird music on the keys six 

 sharps, or six flats which are identical with each other. 

 The signs of sharps or flats belonging to a given key are 

 placed at the beginning of the musical staff. 



Nearly all birds sing in strictly measured time, many 

 sing a perfect bar, or measure, and a considerable num. 

 ber, several bars. The Whip-poor-will, for instance, 

 sings an endless succession of bars in accurate six-eight 

 time, that is, within each bar (which is marked off on 

 the staff by simple perpendicular lines) will be found 

 iix eighth notes or their equivalent in notes or pauses, 

 thus*: 



m ^ #> > 



The time | is therefore placed alongside of the key sig- 

 nature of one flat (which is B flat) which means the 

 bird sang in f time in the key of F. Again, the Black- 

 billed Cuckoo will frequently sing in two-four time, and 

 we will find two eighth notes and a quarter rest (all of 

 which is the equivalent of two fourth notes) in one bar : 



Jlndante. 



COU'COQ, COU-COO, COU-CU-COO, COU-COO, COU-CU-OOQ, CQU-CU-CQO, 



Not Infrequently the first bar of a song contains but one beat, 

 represented by a note or notes ; in that case the other beaten 



XXXlll 



