244 ^^ Touch with Nature. 



no one would fail to credit the jay with ability 

 sing; yet neither bird is ever classed under t) 

 heading of songsters. 



Whether logical or not, in studies of animal li 

 we must consider what we would do and ha' 

 done and are daily doing under like circumstanc< 

 and from such data draw our conclusions. No 

 it is significant that no song-bird proper, be 

 thrush, lark, or grosbeak, is limited in its utt« 

 ances to the characteristic song. This is but o: 

 of a considerable series, and is heard only und 

 certain circumstances, and the other utterana 

 each as well defined as the song, are, too, on 

 uttered when conditions arise that call for thei 

 In the same way, speaking of ourselves, we lauj 

 when amused, cry when in pain, and sing wh 

 merry or contemplative. Who, with a jumpii 

 toothache, could sing " Annie Laurie" ? 



Are these but catchy phrases to avoid straigl 

 forward consideration of the question ? Let 

 take a walk across lots, into the woods, and lo( 

 about the swamps and river. Here in the ang 

 of an old worm-fence is a clump of blackber 

 briers, and it is easy to watch the pair of cat-bir 



