1894
March 26
(No 4)
Trinidad, B.W.I.
Caparo
  The third note, tang[?], is also repeated a number from
18 to 33 this afternoon of turns[?] in quick succession but
the sound is much louder than the tone and the intervals
between the notes although short are well marked. Sometimes
the bird began slowly and gradually increased the rapidity
of its utterance at others the intervals were about the
same from the beginning to the end. Each tang[?] is
accompanied by a ringing sound like the vibrations following
a sharp stroke of a hammer on bar iron but this
ringing although similar in general quality to that of
the tue[?] is less loud and is more evidently and
directly connected with the note which it accompanies. In
other words the effect of an echo is lacking.
[margin]Song and
Notes of the
Bell Bird[/margin]
  At a certain distance (about 100 yds) the tanging sounds exceeding
like a slow strumming in C natural on the string
of a banjo - as Mr. Carr actually demonstrated this
evening to our entire satisfaction. It can be heard
at a greater distance than the tue[?] but not nearly so
far as the bok[?]. At a distance greater than 200 yds,
the sound would scarce attracts the attention of
any one except an ornithologist thoroughly versed in
the bird voices of those woods. It probably could
not be heard at all beyond there or four hundred
yards unless the conditions were exceptionally
favorable.
  While tanging[?] the bird sits in much the same
position as when making the tue[?], rather erect, the
head well up, the wings drooping beneath the closed
tail [diagram]. At each utterance the tail vibrates slightly,
there is a marked swelling of the black
throat, & the mouth is opened to its widest