WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. 
ZONOTRICHIA ALBICOLLIS. 
AMILIAR as the song of this bird is, few listeners 
suspect that it is sung by a sparrow. In an ex- 
treme northern town of Vermont, I often heard the song 
when a boy, but never the name of the singer; and I 
have rarely heard him named since. The knowing ones 
used to say the words of the song were,— 
“ All day long fid-dle-in’, fid-dle-in’, fid-dle-in’” 
The little twelve-toned melody of this sparrow is a 
flash of inspiration — one of those lucky finds, such as 
the poets have — the charm of which lies in its rhythm. 
Let us look at it: — 
First come three long tones of equal length, forming 
together one-half of the song entire; then three clusters 
of three short tones, triplets, each cluster being equal to 
one of the long tones, and each of the short tones being 
equal to one third of one of the long tones. How simple 
the construction for so pleasing a performance! 
The white-throat sings moderately and with exactness ; 
singing often, and usually with several of his fellows, 
