IN AUDUBON'S LABRADOR 



sparrow and does not, of course, compare with 

 the hymn of that serene and heavenly singer, 

 the hermit thrush. Nor is the song as inter- 

 esting as that of the Lincoln's sparrow. I have 

 already quoted Audubon's record in his Jour- 

 nal of his discovery of the Lincoln's sparrow 

 at Natashquan. He named it after one of his 

 young companions, Tom Lincoln. It is fairly 

 common all along this coast and takes the 

 place here of the song sparrow, which it closely 

 resembles and of which it is a near relative. 

 When one has thoroughly grasped the slight 

 differences in the shade of color and in the 

 markings, one can readily distinguish the 

 two birds. The markings both on the breast 

 and back are finer in Lincoln's sparrow, the 

 color of the back is more olive and the front 

 of the breast is washed with buff. Unlike the 

 song sparrow, he is not social in his disposi- 

 tion, but very shy, and easily eludes the sight 

 even when he is singing. The song is one of 

 considerable beauty and great range of theme. 

 At times I have recognized the general char- 

 acter of the melody of the song sparrow, at 

 times the jingling notes of the song of the win- 

 ter wren, at times the impassioned warble of 

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