ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



cally agree with what Mr. Chapman has to say about 

 this bird's song, but at the same time venture to suggest 

 that notations of Robin and Grosbeak songs should 

 not necessarily show that similarity of form which he 

 seems to think is inevitable. He says (1 quote from the 

 Handbook of Birds): "The song of the Rose-breasted 

 Grosbeak is generally compared to that of the Robin, and 

 musical notations would doubtless show that the com- 

 parison is not misleading. But the similarity is largely 

 one of form; in expression there is no more resemblance 

 in their voices than there is between the birds them- 

 selves." That is true, yet it is nothing less than an 

 enigma to find out precisely where the difference lies; I 

 should certainly say it was pretty close to form, expres- 

 sion, and something else besides 1 



The form of the Robin's song may be definitely repre- 

 sented by dots; there is no question about his triplets: 



I suppose it would be safe 



to say there are ten triplets to each doublet. In other 

 words, the abiding characteristic of the Robin's song is 

 his triple note. On the contrary no such rule will hold 

 with reference to the Rose-breasted Grosbeak's song; the 

 triplets which he sings are not by any means distinctly 

 separate groups. It is perfectly apparent to an attentive 

 ear that the song of this bird flows with a certain degree 

 of smoothness, or evenness which is not characteristic of 

 the Robin's jerky efforts. Here is an ocular proof of 



that point: . . . _ These dots show 



two things quite plainly: first, that the song is almost, if 

 n9t quite continuous, and second, that some of the tones 

 are sustained longer than others, thus: 



Again, there are other significant points about this bird's 

 music which dots and dashes can not show. Few, if any, 

 of his notes are rendered staccato, many with remark- 

 able expression glide up or down the scale a whole mu- 

 sical third and even a fifth, and all, or nearly all, are 



