S| Director's Annual Report. 



cause ol the peculiar trembling motion of the wings \vh ich has been 

 attributed by one or two authors to fear alone. 



A bird under close observation flew down to feed on the drupes 

 ol a small Olapa ( Cheirodendron) . After a few moments it flew up 

 into a nearby tree, when after deliberately cleaning its bill it broke 

 forth into its fullest song. Pausing as if to study the effect, or to 

 see if the melody would be taken up by its neighbors, it would 

 tremble the wings and hop idly about from branch to branch. 

 This program was repeated many times, singing, feeding, and 

 fluttering its wings alternatively. It is true that the quivering is 

 more often resorted to under the stress of excitement, but it is 

 equally certain that it is indulged in at other times quite naturally 

 and frequently. 



As to the Ming of the Olomao little can be added to the excel- 

 lent accounts already in print. Xo one is able to see the singer or 

 hear its song without being impressed by its thrush-like character. 

 The effort is more usually delivered from the topmost branches of 

 some favorite tree ; although it is to be found frequently singing 

 joyously in the underbrush. When singing the head is always 

 thrown well back, the throat full and free, and the wings and tail 

 are invariably relaxed and drooping. The irregular, at times, 

 somewhat jerky, though always melodious song is given not once 

 or twice, but often dozens of times. Once heard its character will 

 live in the memory for years, though its component parts are 

 wholly inimitable. 



Not only does the Olomao sing early and late, but in fine 

 weather I have heard it far into the night. One of the peculiari- 

 ties of the song is its veutriloquistic character. A bird may be 

 singing volubly in a tree not twenty yards away, and so varied in 

 volume and timbre are the notes as the song increases from its be- 

 ginning of a few low chirping notes to the zenith of its power and 

 beauty, that even an experienced observer is at times at a loss to 

 locate the songster. In truth it seems that the whole tree might be 

 full of song. The voice conies from the centre, from the right, from 

 the left, from the back and from the top of the tree successively or 

 simultaneously, seemingly at the pleasure of the musician. So 

 marked is this power that a bird in plain sight may sing a half 

 dozen times before the sombre-colored piper will be discovered. 

 In addition to the song the Olomao has a number of notes and 



[i74] 



