Sparrow, Song 



remarkably. Fifteen varieties of its song have been noted 

 in one week, and the same individual often has a number 

 of tunes in his repertoire. 



FLORENCE A. MERRIAM. Birds of Village and Field. 1 



You will find that he repeats one strain for perhaps a 

 dozen times, without the change of a note; then suddenly 

 he comes out with a song entirely different. This second 

 song he will in turn drop for a third and so on. The bird 

 acts, for all the world, as if he were singing hymns, of so 

 many verses each, one after another. 



TORREY. Every Day Birds. 18 



The sparrow .... assured all the plain Quakers 

 within hearing that he was a good Pres-pres-pres-pres- 

 pres-by-te-ri-an. 



ABBOTT. Birds About Us. 27 



The song sparrow is said to be imitated in New Bedford 

 thus: " Maids, maids, maids, hang on your tea-kettle 

 ettle, ettle, ettle, ettle. 



THOREAU. 



I thought the sparrow's note from heaven, 

 Singing at dawn on the alder bough; 

 I brought him home, in his nest, at even; 

 He sings the song, but it cheers not now, 

 For I did not bring home the river and sky; 

 He sang to my ear, they sang to my eye. 



EMERSON. 



136 



