November 



It would be interesting to determine what is the 

 cause of this temporary resumption of song by 

 some birds after the silence during the moult. It 

 has been suggested that the spring-like character of 

 late autumn may have some stimulating effect upon 

 such songsters. This, no doubt, is a contributory 

 cause ; but, it would seem probable that the primary 

 one is the constitutional reaction which sets in after 

 the depression which the birds suffer during the 

 moulting time. Convalescence has a keener sense 

 of well-being than rude health. 



As I was passing an old orchard on this same 

 morning of the I2th November, I heard a wren 

 rattling out his call with unusual vigour. After he 

 had done this several times, he seemed to feel that 

 this was not quite adequate to the occasion, and, 

 flitting up into a pear tree, sought fuller expression 

 in a sudden burst of song. 



As all know, the song of the wren, although an 

 exceedingly fine one, is stereotyped, being always 

 delivered in the same form. After the few repeated, 

 detached notes comes the first trill, then the rattle, 

 then the closing trill. That rattle, devoid of musical 

 quality, yet inserted between the two warbling 

 phrases, is of the same " mechanical " quality as the 

 bird's call-note, which resembles the clicking of a 

 watch when being wound up. 



Those acquainted with the vocal utterances of 

 birds will recall the manner in which some of them, 

 having no song properly so-called, yet, at times of 



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