246 In Touch with Nature. 



from all entanglement, the cat-bird perches 01 

 convenient limb of the nearest tree and gi 

 himself up to song. This is not a mere repetit 

 of the chirps and twitters that marked ev 

 movement when busy about the nest or intent uj 

 securing food. These were not by any me; 

 monotonous twangings of a single string, ] 

 highly varied, and clearly had reference to 

 various demands of the moment. A low chuc 

 calls his mate ; a shrill chirp warns her of possi 

 danger ; the scarcely audible utterances when n 

 each other, when "billing and cooing," are clea 

 the interchange of ideas ; but now, how va£ 

 different and yet equally significant 1 



The self-released bird needs, or thinks he nee 

 rest and recreation, and for the time gives hi 

 self up to song. He rejoices in his own musi 

 powers. Every note of every other bird that 

 within the compass of his voice he repeats, a 

 withal, sounds many a matchless note wholly 

 own. From side to side he tosses his head a; 

 such movements affected his voice. His be 

 sways to and fro or pitches forward as the soui 

 grow shriller, and then, as if exhausted by 



