Mistress Cuckoo 



present instance; and I submit the following 

 composition (not a long one, but at least hav- 

 ing beginning, middle, and end, which is more 

 than can be said of many a more pretentious 

 effort of human authors) as the precise song by 

 which, every spring, I recognize the return of 

 this brilliant and gay musician, even before I 

 catch a glimpse of him : 





The temperament of the song — if it may be 

 called so — often depends quite as much upon 

 the modulation of voice as upon any other feat- 

 ure. This is seen in the above-cited melody 

 of the "black-throated green," where the brill- 

 iant tone and rhythmical swing are so strongly 

 reinforced by the vigorous major progressions, 

 which, in their very nature, are so declarative 

 of clear and strong delight, with an effect as 

 of a fresh October breeze blowing in the face. 

 In the cuckoo's phrase it is the reverse — in- 

 flected downward, with an effect that is retro- 

 spective, even if not sad. There are shadows 

 caught from the deep foliage within which it 

 lurks, in that simple chant. As an example 



117 



