CHAPTER Y. 



ACCOMPLISHED VOCALISTS. 



The Robin, Hermit Thrush, Veery, Redstart, Wood 

 Pewee, etc. 



All the strange world of wild life offers no 

 greater contrast than that between the snake and the 

 bird. The latter is a true musician ; the former is as 

 mum as the brown leaf under which he hides. Who 

 has heard the robin's note and failed to recognize the 

 fact that the bird is a musician ? 



I do not make a random selection of the robin 

 {Merula migratoria) among the long list of singing 

 birds, and intimate that he is a musician beyond the 

 rest. Many a woodland bird is a better singer ; but 

 to every thrush's song we will hear a score of robins' 

 songs, and some one of the robins will most likely be 

 an accomplished vocalist, just like the one whose 

 music I have interpreted a little farther on. 



We respond to the musical side of Nature only in 



proportion to the development of our " ear for music." 



It must be admitted that this very common expres- 

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