A Hermit Thrush Song 85 



the long opening notes I speak with great confidence, for I took down a 



long series on two occasions and found the pitch unchanged. From these 



observations I determined that the ' 



Thrush used phrases in the following i - ^(^ [^ * — 



keys. I heard no others and never , 1 [ ., L 



detected any flatting or sharping. It I /I U ^'^ 



will be noticed that these keys form ^y*^ 



part of the scale of A flat major. 



In this, and in fact in the whole song, the approximation to the human 



scale was striking. 



The Hermit's song consisted, nine times out of ten, in a regular 

 alternation of low with high phrases. Two in succession on or near the 

 same level he never in my hearing gave, but he would sometimes ascend 

 or descend through a series of three different keys. There was no fixed 

 order nor any necessary key relation between successive phrases. I have 

 long lists of such and am certain that the bird uttered his theme in what- 

 ever key suited his fancy, so long as it was not a repetition of the theme 

 just uttered. For example, one series began with a low B flat followed 

 by a high A flat, then a middle F, then an upper B flat, then dropped to 

 low A flat, soared up two octaves to high A flat, dropped to middle B 

 flat, then down to low E flat. This continual alternation of key was the 

 most striking thing about the Hermit's song, apart from its regularity and 

 accuracy of pitch. It suggested, somehow, the orchestral handling of a 

 theme by a musical composer, and made it beyond comparison more in- 

 teresting as a performance than the simple repetitions of the Olive-backed 

 Thrush, or the endless variety of the Thrasher. 



The utterance of the theme was for all the lower forms distinct and 

 without portamento. Now and then, although rarely, the bird gave his 

 triplet or quadruplet notes a vibratory "trill," and in the very highest 

 phrases the distinctness of vocalization was much diminished. The bird's 

 voice never broke on its highest' notes, but his enunciation became some- 

 what indistinct, although never to such an extent as to disguise the form 

 of his theme. 



The voice of the Hermit Thrush was made individual by overtones, 

 giving it a considerable richness and penetration and even a metallic burr or 

 buzz. It suggested somewhat the reed -quality of the oboe superadded to 

 a flute's open tone. Direct comparison was possible only with the piano, 

 a bugle and a flute, and, needless to say, it was far closer to the last 

 named, but very much more vibrant, less hollow. The 'burr" was 

 audible at short ranges only. At a hundred yards or less it blended to 

 give the voice a singularly ringing metallic quality which gave it a carrying 

 power unapproached by any other bird of that region. It should be said 

 that in proportion as the bird seemed to be exerting himself, as, for example, 



