A Marvelous Collection of Unpublished Bird Songs 



By John Lewis Childs 



IN the library of a Long Island church there was recently found a large 

 volume of Bird-Songs in original manuscript. The author of these 

 " Songs " or poems was Miller Hageman, a minister of the gospel, who re- 

 sided on Long Island many years, and was pastor of various parishes. That 

 Mr. Hegeman was a thorough bird student, and got his knowledge of the 

 birds first-hand, is apparent, and that he was a poet of high order is also 

 evident ; and he must also have been a thorough master of music. The 

 poems number 167, the title of each being some well-known bird. The 

 notes of each bird are given in a bar of music preceding each poem and is a 

 marvelous interpretation of the song of the particular bird to which the 

 poem is dedicated. The rythm of the verses also harmonizes with that of 

 the bird song. In prefacing this volume of poems the author says : 



" The following poems represent a series of personal interviews with 

 the birds themselves, extending over forty years, the music accompanying 

 each poem being transcribed directly from the bird by a system of musical 

 shorthand patiently developed by the author." 



Most of the poems describe in a most ingenious and charming way the 

 habits of the birds as well as their songs. Note this one stanza (of which 

 there are a dozen) from the 



WINTER WREN 



Flitting through the brush heap, 



Scattering the snow, 

 Now on this side, now on that, 



Which I hardly know; 

 Here, there, everywhere, 



Darting to and fro, 

 Breezv little busvbody, 



Ho-hi-ho! 

 With his wondrous little ditty, 



O so wise and O so witty; 

 "Hurry up, hurry up. 

 Who are you ? ho, hi, how de do, good-by, 

 Look before me, look behind me, 



