VI On the Songs of Birds 159 



One cold and rainy day last May I had proof positive 

 of this. There is a spot in the parks at Oxford where 

 this bird settles himself every spring, and sings with 

 all his might every fine morning. That day, in the 

 usual place, I heard what for the moment I took to 

 be the warble of the other species ; but after hearing 

 it again I began to doubt my own conclusion. In 

 another minute the song was repeated, with two or 

 three of the familiar loud notes following it ; but the 

 effort was too great, and the little bird collapsed be- 

 fore he had completed the performance. The weather 

 was against him, and his heart was not in the work. 

 1 may add that I have even heard the Willow-wren 

 begin his song in a manner that strongly reminded 

 me of the Ohiifchaff; this was just after his first 

 arrival in spring, when he was perhaps still suffering 

 from the fatigues of the journey. The song of this 

 bird, like that of the Chaf&nch, increases greatly in 

 power as the days grow warmer. 



One word more before I close this chapter. My 

 readers may possibly care to know which songs have 

 affected me most during the many years since I first 

 learnt to distinguish them. It is, indeed, hardly pos- 

 sible to dissociate a bird's song from its surroundings ; 

 and the Eobin in November, the Blackbird in Feb- 

 ruary, the Dipper by a trout-stream, or the Chiffchaff s 

 ringing notes in March, all have a special charm of 

 their own which is not derived solely from the melody 



