THE MUSICAL SCALES OF THE THRUSHES. 



but again makes no attempt to use it in full as the Hermit 

 does, witness his scales 4 and 5 in this notation : 



Sales of the Wood Thrush 



Triad; major, minor. 



The Wood Thrush is generally content to render variations 

 upon the components of the triad and the diminished 

 seventh; beyond these it is apparent he is unable to progress. 

 But the Olive-back, like the Hermit, has advanced to a 

 more extended musical form and works that to its limit. 

 Here is a progressive harmonic setting of his primitive 

 scale which is confined to minor thirds or something 

 wonderfully like them within the limit of the diminished 

 seventh: 



1st. Key 



Ihcsejirst four notes of each bar compose the scale of the Olive-bdck. 



If one begins at any point on the piano keyboard and 

 progresses upward skipping two keys and striking the 

 third, of course counting in the ebonies, one will eventuate 

 upon one of the three forms recorded above; there are only 

 three, no more. This is another primitive scale at which 

 both man and bird arrived during some period in the 

 development of their musical faculties. Whatever the 

 Olive-back may sing which is not in strict accordance with 

 this scale is sure to be merely a modification of it. 



As for the Veery, although one must translate his music 



into the chromatic scale, he does not really follow but 



sprawls over it with a weird harmonic charm heedless of all 



musical intervals. His tones arc so slurred and mixed 



xli 



