APPENDIX. 151 
WHITE-THROATED Sparrow. — Contin. 
“T suspect this interesting bird is an accomplished ventriloquist. On 
one occasion I listened for some time to what seemed to be two birds, in 
different directions and not far off, but hidden from view. The C note 
was omitted. One would sing two notes in G, which would be followed 
in perfect time by two in E by the other bird. I was strongly impressed 
at the time with the idea that there was only one singer present, and that 
the song, sweet and beautiful, was a skilful display of ventriloquism.” ! 
Leach, M. L.: Song of the White-throated Sparrow. (Swiss Cross, vol. iii, May, 
1888, pp. 145-146.) 
Dr. Leach’s notation is very similar to that of the white- 
throat’s song as heard in the provinces of New Brunswick 
and Nova Scotia, — “as clear and accurate a melody as 
can be given forth by any human songster ”: — 
Common form. —~ 
A second form. 
| 7A - r 3 | #£ ms F 2. r: T By 
——— a 
J = t as iw ise L { ine if —- Hi [2 si} 
Ld vw a vw A v v ve v a 
A rarer form. 
~—]— a 3 : 7 3 1} 
ag Eis i i i tt i u 
v v 7 ov ¥ o 4 v 7 
If we rule out the testimony of Juliet about the lark, 
this writer has the honor of being perhaps the second to 
1 “T first heard it [the ventriloquist dove (Geopelia tranquilla, Gould) ] 
on the marshes of the Macquarie, but could not see it. The fact is that it 
has the power of throwing its voice to a distance, and I mistook it for 
some time for the note of a large bird on the plains, and sent a man more 
than once to shoot it, without success.” — Sturt, Capt. C.: Narr. of an 
Exped. into Central Australia (Lond., 1849), vol. ii. app. p. 45. See 
Miiller, Karl: Ein Lieblingsvogel des Volkes. (Gartenlaube, 1876, 
p. 300.) 
For ventriloquism explained by rapid changes of position, see Jefferies, 
R.: Wild life in a Southern County (Boston, 1889), pp. 195, 196. 
