THE SONG SPARROW 27 



New England in crowds, — along with robins 

 and red-winged blackbirds, — and are to be 

 heard singing on all hands, especially in the 

 neighborhood of water. They remain until late 

 autumn, and here and there one will be found 

 even in midwinter. 



The song, for which this sparrow is particu- 

 larly distinguished, is a bright and lively strain, 

 nothing very great in itself, perhaps, but thrice 

 welcome for being heard so early in the season, ' 

 when the ear is hungry after the long winter 

 silence. Its chief distinction, however, is its 

 amazing variety. Not only do no two birds sing 

 precisely alike, but the same bird sings many 

 tunes. 



Of this latter fact, which I have known some 

 excellent people to be skeptical about, you can 

 readily satisfy yourself, — and there is nothing 

 like knowing a thing at first hand, — if you wiU 

 take the pains to keep a singer under your eye 

 at the height of the musical season. You will 

 find that he repeats one strain for perhaps a 

 dozen times, without the change of a note ; then 

 suddenly he comes out with a song entirely dif- 

 ferent. This second song he wiU in turn drop 

 for a third, and so on. The bird acts, for all the 

 world, as i£ he were singing hymns, of so many 

 verses each, one after another. 



