34 BIRDS AND MAN 



bird, in appearance a small hawfinch with its 

 whole plumage a lovely glaucous blue ; a poor 

 singer with a low rambling song : the second a 

 bird of the size of a starling, coloured like 

 a golden briole, but more briUiant ; and this 

 one has a short impetuous song composed of 

 mixed guttural and clear notes. 



Why is this rather peculiar song, of a species 

 which on account of its colouring and pleasing 

 social habits strongly impresses the mind, less 

 distinct in memory than the songs of other 

 troupials? I believe it is because it is a rare 

 thing to hear a single song. They perch in a 

 tree in company, like birds of paradise, and no 

 sooner does one open his beak than all burst out 

 together, and their singing strikes on the sense 

 in a rising and falling tempest of confused sound. 

 But it may be added that though these two songs 

 are marked " indistinct " in the list, they are not 

 very indistinct, and become less so when I listen 

 mentally with closed eyes. 



In conclusion, it is worthy of remark that the 

 good voices, as to quaUty, and the powerful ones, 

 are not more enduring in their images than those 

 which were listened to appreciatively for other 



