BIRDS WITH UNMUSICAL VOICES. 135 



crew up in the mountain, wlien some one of their 

 number has made a " ten strike." 



The song of the screech owl may he musical or 

 not, that is a matter of opinion ; but that it is a great 

 stimulant to the imagination there can be no possi- 

 ble shadow of doubt ! We perhaps think of all man- 

 ner of blood-curdling things which may be happen- 

 ing, and the suggestive voice fits the case exactly ; 

 in fact, we might find ourselves wondering why we 

 do not fly to the rescue ! 



Here is a peculiarly distressing crescendo shake 

 which is quite com- 



r'just a little bit \f nmmm^ 



suggestive oi a tree 



toad, yet it is not the quiet, subdued voice of that 



soothing little creature at 



all. Again, the owl sings : i r); J — ^ f # 



To-woo bo-woo \ft/oo 



and we imagine some one 

 badly hurt lying moaning 

 and nearly breathless on the distant road. But again 

 we hear the strange voice, and now it sounds like a 

 far - away hys- 

 terical laugh : 

 TMs is the owl's 



^^7T 



i^ iai^ .y^. 



The screech owl is a bird of prey, and he is not 



spring song ! 



