FAMILY FriaglllidK. . 



character of tin: IMUMC of individuals belonging to diiFer- 

 ent generations, and the results of my observations \\ IK n 

 recorded upon paper have proved surprisingly similar. 

 It must be remembered that birds frequently come back 

 to their old nesting places; so when I say that I have 

 noted with interest the musical efforts of a particular in- 

 dividual and his descendants for four, yes, five succes- 

 sive^ seasons, the records of the findings will not seem so 

 much like results of one's imagination. The following 

 three songs belong respectively to a grandfather, son, 

 and grandson; the family resemblance of the music is, 

 to say the least, remarkable: 



of birds of three generations. d!m 



J/p, 3 wee. swee, chtr f chir; w 



.chee^swdsnre chir.chirjir.sir. see.see, Jish.fshfoh 



Thethtrdbird sang in 1902 dndddded one more jish to the song!! 



But still more remarkable]\vas the gradual musical de- 

 velopment of each song through each season to its com- 

 plete form; there would not be enough space in this 

 book to show that, and its practical value would be in- 

 deed questionable. 



Recollecting that there is no tangible melody to this 

 Bunting's song such as that which characterizes the Song 

 Sparrow's extraordinary essay, it will be readily under- 

 stood why the tonic and key are not easily determined. 

 Besides, it becomes still more difficult to record a bird's 

 song when the register is half-way off the keyboard of 

 the piano! The Indigo Bunting sings too high for one 

 to be sure of his key without considerable study. Mr. 

 Cheney ^i\vs us a rliarartcrisiir record, and draws tin- 

 138 



