38 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



music, as in other species, is simply an expression 

 of overflowing gladness; at other times, the bird 

 expressed such feelings as alarm, suspicion, solici- 

 tude, perhaps anger, by singing the same song. 

 How does this come about? 



I have stated, when speaking of the nightingale, 

 that birds in which the singing faculty is highly 

 developed, sometimes make the mistake of burst- 

 ing into song when anxious or distressed or in 

 pain, but that this is not the case with the mock- 

 ing-birds. Some species of these brilliant song- 

 sters of the New World, in their passion for 

 variety (to put it that way), import every harsh 

 and grating cry and sound they know into their 

 song; but, on the other hand, when anxious for 

 the safety of their young, or otherwise distressed, 

 they emit only the harsh and grating sounds — 

 never a musical note. In the sedge-warbler, the 

 harsh, scolding sounds that express alarm, solici- 

 tude, and other painful emotions, have also been 

 made a part of the musical performance; but 

 this differs from the songs of most species, the 

 mocking birds included, in the extraordinary 

 rapidity with which it is enunciated; once the song 

 begins it goes on swiftly to the finish, harsh and 



