FAMILY l : rinKillidae. 



melodic accomplishments of the Song Sparrow. A 

 few niinut.cs' examination of the records of both birds* 

 songs should be siillicieiit to convince the most ardent 

 admirer of the \ ,rro\v that his is not the " h-.-,t 



bird!" Some years ago I tried to learn through the 

 books and various ornithological friends, what differ- 

 ence there was between the songs of these two Spar- 

 rows, but I tried in vain. That then; was a difference, 

 and a very distinct one too, w gone conclusion; 



but how to describe it there was the rub! Since that 

 time Mr. Chapman has published his /;//</ /,//'/. and in 

 that book he has explained the difference as \\-ell a- ii 

 can be explained in a few words. But wordsareentirely 

 inadequate to express a musical idea, and if I hail t<> 

 demonstrate the nature of the Vesper's song that way. I 

 should supplement the words by lines, and say tip 

 tural part of it resembled the gable end of a roof, thus: 



/\ 



the first half ascending in four or Jive clearly whistled 

 notes, and the last half descending in about as many 

 high-pitched, rapid, canary-like chirps or trills. Now, 

 suppose we resort to a series of dots to represent the 

 song's form: 



Thus, it will be seen the principle of the gable-roof lines 

 is still maintained, and if one desires to hear the rhythm 

 thus represented, it is at once obtained by tapphi- 

 dot carefully with a pencil. The music of th< 

 properly written on the staff resembles the nursery 

 melody of Lord Bateman: 



J. 



86 



