172 BIRD PARADISE 



full song of the vesper sparrow, and soon after a 

 bluebird caught the spirit of the occasion and 

 poured forth the gentle note which he knows so 

 well how to do. Bird songs in October are so un- 

 common that I scarcely recall a like departure 

 from the regular order in all my years. I do not 

 know of even the shadow of a reason why it can- 

 not be every year. I cannot uncover any reason 

 why they should not take the song with them to 

 their Southern home, and use it freely through 

 the winter. But nothing of the kind appears. I 

 have seen and known them all in their Southern 

 home and beyond a simple call note they indulge 

 in nothing that can by any means be construed 

 as musical. The morning that I heard them was 

 a bright, clear morning — a real song among the 

 days of song. The music of the hour no doubt 

 loosened the bird tongues to a refrain that was 

 compelled almost against the will of the singer. 

 I am quite sure that such compulsion will not do 

 any harm. On the contrary it may be that it is 

 the opening of a new day — a, forward march on 

 the part of the birds to whole years of song. 

 Strange is it that the speech of our feathered 

 friends should shape itself in a single mold, 

 never departing from it in the way of improve- 

 ment through the years. 



