i8o Bird - Lore 



has had Chickadees perch on his cap and hover before his face peering into the 

 little round hole in search of the other bird. Upon one occasion this spring he 

 was surrounded by a class of fifteen or twenty students, and yet the little 

 Chickadee performed thus in search of his whistling fellow. 



The learning of birds' songs, either by the use of phrases or symbols or by 

 whistled imitations, can well be used by teachers and bird-club organizers in 

 maintaining interest in bird-study. It is often valuable in controlling unruly 

 boys when their interest in the ordinary bird-study begins to flag, and many 

 can be encouraged to control their whistles and to utilize them to good advan- 

 tage. I have known of schools where whistling competitions were inaugurated 

 and discipline became easy, as some of the roughest youngsters became most 

 adept at imitating birds' songs. 



When one has mastered a few songs, the rest come much more easily, and 

 one soon becomes interested in some of the more general phases of bird-music. 

 For such as may wish to continue their observations further than the mere 

 learning of the songs, the following brief summary of the natural history of 

 birds' songs is added. 



THE VOICES OF BIRDS 



There can be little doubt that the voice in birds has been developed, as in 

 other animals, as a means of communication. This does not necessarily imply 

 an elaborate thought mechanism nor even an extensive vocabulary, but merely 

 a means of communicating their feelings. Anyone who makes an extensive 

 study of the call-notes of one bird, however, will be impressed with the num- 

 ber of modulations, and these may correspond to different words. The barn- 

 yard fowl, for example, in leading her chicks about, is continually calling to 

 them in various notes. One announces food, another announces danger, 

 another calls them to brood, and so on. What is true of the domestic fowl is 

 true of all birds, only most of us are not familiar enough with them to recog- 

 nize the differences, and even if we do recognize differences, it is almost im- 

 possible to represent them with words. 



Certain of the call-notes are apparently recognized by all birds, while 

 others may or may not be understood by other species. When a Robin dis- 

 covers a Hawk or an Owl, it gives a certain note, and not only do all the 

 Robins of the vicinity flock to the spot, but birds of other species as well seem 

 to recognize the 'rally call.' Another call which is apparently recognized by all 

 species is the distress call. This can easily be imitated by moistening the 

 knuckle of the bent forefinger or the back of the hand and kissing it very lightly, 

 so as to produce a distressing sort of squeak. It usually requires a little prac- 

 tice to do it well, but with experience one can produce such a realistic call 

 that birds of all species will flock to the spot to learn the trouble. The writer 

 has had as many as thirty different kinds of birds in sight at one time, and 

 some of them within arm's length, by calling thus from concealment. Like 



