70 HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. 
singing his incomparably sweet songs, stopping only 
occasionally to caress one of the little birds as he passed 
from one to the other. It was a question whether this 
extra music was indulged in for the especial pleasure of 
his little family, or whether it was the every-day song 
of this particular finch. 
In describing the birds of the Catskill, Eugene Bick- 
nell says of the purple finches: “They appeared to be 
in full voice, but their songs were so different from that 
of the same species near New York City that I doubted 
their identity, till a specimen was secured. Not only 
the notes, but the manner of delivering them was 
entirely strange. In the lower Hudson Valley the song 
of this finch is rich and voluble, with the notes of defi- 
nite character and number. In the Catskills all the 
notes were weak and inexpressive, and the song brief 
and of uncertain character.” 
The songs of some bobolinks are remarkable perform- 
ances, both in tone and execution. The music of others 
is like that from instruments cracked and out of tune. 
Wilson Flagg says: “The songs of the song sparrow 
(Melospiza fasciata), in the wilds of Northern New 
England, are more plaintive and sylvan, though not so 
loud and theme-like, as in thickly settled localities.” 
The power of imitation is possessed by a much larger 
number of birds than that of ventriloquism. Some 
individuals will master the entire song of another 
species. Bobolinks, when caged, have been known to 
appropriate the song of canaries and sing them for 
months, in preference to their own. Other birds will 
