200
(Hotel Ponsen). Dordrecht, Holland.
1897.
July 23.
(No.2).
  Birds are fairly numerous. A Blackbird is in full song.
I cannot understand how anyone can compare its song to that
of the Robin. It is given in bars separated by wide intervals
and reminds me slightly of the song of our Swainson's Thrush
but is much finer, the voice of a full rich contralto. I saw the
bird singing and fully identified him. Another bird which has
a rich flowing song not unlike that of our Orchard Oriole is
new to me. I had a good view of him. He was about the size
and color of Vireo olivaceus and acted much like the bird
hopping from twig to twig as he sand and peering under the
leaves. A Song Thrush is singing as I write. I should hardly
know him from our Brown Thrasher, the notes very similar and
given rapidly in threes. Turtle Doves have been cooing at in-
tervals all day in the trees over the streets. This evening I
saw two Wood Pigeons in a tree near the hotel.
  Swallows, Martins and Swifts are here but the last are
much less numerous than in Belgium and France. House Sparrows
are so scarce as to be positively inconspicuous. I have not
seen nor heard one during my walk this evening. The notes of
the Jackdaw remind me constantly of those of our Purple Mar-
tin. Heard at a distance they might actually be mistaken for
them but near at hand they are louder, coarser and harder or
more woodeny.