2 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 

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down.lhe .9pdl|.J/f(Jtiers are only monotonous 

 trillscatyjijjs.the s.arne.fr\yo notes, varying only in 

 te < n|ttt**aiati nnCtfasiiyV^iici as that of the chipping 

 bird, who makes one's ears fairly ache as he sits 

 in the sun and trills to himself, like a complacent 

 prima donna. Then there is always plenty of gos- 

 siping going on, chippering and chattering that 

 does not rise to the dignity of song, though it adds 

 to the general jumble of sounds ; but this should 

 be ignored at first, and only the loud* songs lis- 

 tened for. When the trill and the elaborate song 

 are once contrasted, other distinctions are easily 

 made. The ear then catches the quality of songs. 

 On the right the plaintive note of the meadow- 

 lark is heard, while out of the grass at the left 

 comes the rollicking song of the bobolink. 



Having begun sorting sounds, you naturally 

 group sights, and so find yourself parceling out 

 the birds by size and color. As the robin is a 

 well-known bird, he serves as a convenient unit 

 of measure an ornithological foot. If you call 

 anything from a humming-bird to a robin small, 

 and from a robin to a crow large, you have ar 

 practical division line, of use in getting your 

 bearings. And the moment you give heed to col- 

 ors, the birds will no longer look alike. To sim- 

 plify matters, the bluebird, the oriole with his 

 orange and black coat, the scarlet tanager with 

 his flaming plumage, and all the other bright birds 

 can be classed together ; while the sparrows, fly- 



