A LABRADOR SPRING 
the bird, suddenly becoming aware of my 
presence, changed its note to repeated ex- 
plosions of its harsh je-lét, and I was con- 
vinced of the truth of my observations, and 
concluded that the je-lét was merely an alarm 
note and not a song. Unfortunately for this 
theory, all the birds did not act in the same way, 
and the same bird varied its course at different 
times, for even when unaware of my undesir- 
able presence, and in the absence of any visible 
annoyance, these flycatchers would sometimes 
repeat the je-lét in a way that suggested the 
pouring out of their souls in this soulless dis- 
harmony —a song not inferior to that of the 
least flycatcher, and that is saying a good deal. 
The same birds when disturbed would emit 
at times the double whistle note. I was forced 
to conclude therefore either that the yellow- 
bellied flycatcher was developing one of two 
songs, one to our ears musical, the other the 
reverse, and, in this community at least, that 
the particular song had not been determined, 
or that the bird was developing two songs. 
Let us hope that the soft and liquid whistle 
may alone survive, and be further elaborated. 
I am very sure, if the bird did but know it, his 
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