1879
Carlisle, Mass.
April 8 here to give any other
than a few additional points which
the better opportunities of this recent 
experience enabled me note. The article
referred to appeared in the Am.[American] Sportsman
vol IV p.19.
  When the bird rises into the air its
wings whistle steadily as it mounts in
a broad spiral course into the dusky
heavens. The highest point reached 
is perhaps three or four hundred feet.
It then begins to descend by a series 
of irregular, erratic plungings, which
produce the effect of dividing the
whistling "into syllables". The whistling
is at this period especially shrill and
loud but is nevertheless unmistakably 
produced by the wings. When about
one third of the descent is effected
the wings are apparently (!) set and
the bird floats evenly and slowly
downwards like a dusky ball 
of thistle down. Then begins the
1879
Carlisle, Mass.
April 8 vocal music, a succession
of soft and exceedingly liquid notes
which are accelerated as the author
nears the earth. My original descrip-
tion was perhaps a trifle overdrawn but
still the song is a beautiful one and
if it had just a little more power it
would scarcely be surpassed by that
of any of the true singing birds. I
was also again reminded of the boys
water whistle & the resemblance is
certainly an obvious one.
  When within about thirty feet of the 
earth the song is abruptly cut short,
and with the speed and directness
of an arrow[']s flight the performer
glides down on set wings to near 
the starting place. Several times
when he passed near us the rush
of his wings was very audible.
  When he first alighted he stood for
a moment in a stooping position then
made a short, gliding run, stopped &