1642. Bird Music. By Simeon Pease Cheney. //«V/. , Vol. XXXV, No. 

 6, April, 188S, pp. 845-848 {Sialia sialis &nA Merula migratoriti) ; ibid.. 

 Vol. XXXVI, No. I, May, 1888, pp. 147-149 (Partridge and Owls) ; ibid., 

 No. 2, June, 1888, pp. 254-256 {Icterus galbula, Turdiis musiclinus, T. a. 

 pallasii, T. fuscescens) ; ibid.. No. 3, July, 1888, pp. 416-417 {Melosfiza 

 fasciata, SpizeUa pusilla) ; ibid.. No. 5, Sept., 1SS8, pp. 718-719 (/c- 

 teria virens, Dolichonyx oryzivorus, Antrostoimis vociferus) ; ibid.. Vol. 

 XXXVII, No. I, Nov., 1888, p. 97 {Urinator imber) ; ibid.. Vol. XXXVIII. 

 No. 2, June, i88g, pp. 234-235 {Sturnella magna, Pipilo erythroflithal- 

 mus, Piranga ervtkromelas, Sfitius tristis). — With musical notation 



of songs. ' OeataryJiiag, 



A STUDY OF THE SINGING OF OUR BIRDS.* 



BY EUGENE 



BICKNELL. 



Consideration of Species. 



Turdus migratorius. Robin. 



As a general rule our .summer song-birds come to us in the 

 spring in full voice ; but an exception is often made by the Robin. 

 As a few Robins may be with us all winter, it is not always easy 

 to tell just when the first spring birds come ; but the observations 

 of several years clearly show that, as a rule, first arrivals are 

 songless. But singing is rarely delayed after the migration has 

 well begun ; and when this has been retarded by untoward weather, 

 and finally starts with full volume, then the advance guard are 

 usually song-bearers. My records show a range of over three 

 weeks in the time of the beginning of song in different years, 

 from February 27 to March 21. Both of these dates are, however, 

 exceptional, and represent the extremes of an early and late season. 

 Usuallv singing begins during the second week of March. 



The Robin continues well in song up to the middle of July, 

 after which there is usually a jaerceptible decrease in the number 

 of singing birds, and the time of singing becomes more restricted 

 to the marginal hours of the day. My notes of the singing of 

 the Robin in August, though usually extending through the 

 month, rarely form more than a disconnected record. The incli- 

 nation towards song is now declining, and it dejsends, during 

 the first part of the month largely, and during the latter 

 part entirely upon favorable conditions, whether there be any 

 song at all. Thus in a season of drought occasional brief songs 

 in the earlv hours on favorable days, with intervals of silence, 

 may fill out the record of the month, whereas a reasonably con- 

 secutive record will result from a cool and wet season. 



September is eminently their month of silence. Their pri- 

 mary song-period may extend feebly beyond the end of August, 

 and rarelv an imperfect song may be heard in the following 

 month, but until its latter dajs silence, excepting the ordinary 

 call notes, is the general rule. 



The secondary song-jaeriod is introduced with much regularity 

 in different years in the last days of September. From 1878-81, 

 my record runs: September 37, 26, 28, 25. But unfavorable 

 weather may postpone the beginning of the second song-period 

 until October. The first songs are usually subdued and broken, 

 but soon acquire the normal character, and sometimes continue 

 with little interruption through the month of October; but again 

 there may be an almost complete intermission between the first or 

 second and final week of the month. Sometimes when this is 

 the case, multitudes of the birds arrive from the north about the 

 third quarter of the month, bringing song with them, and in the 

 last week, if the weather be damp and cloudy, numbers may be 

 heard singing with almost the freshness and vigor which charac- 

 terises their song in April. 



When the vast numbers of Robins which pass southward at 

 this season have d epart ed, tlie species rapidly becomes uncom- 

 mon. Dates of last songs fall between October 21 and November 

 I. In two years I have no record later than the 8th, but it seems 

 not unlikely that in these years transient final days of song were 

 missed. It is, however, not improbable that, if subsequent to 

 the beginning of autumn song the weather should prove unfavora- 

 ble, the second song-period may be allowed to lapse. 



Through the latter part of August many Robins may be seen 

 flying about, minus remiges and rectrices, in varying number. 

 Adults of both sexes taken in the second week of October have 

 the new plumage perfected with the exception of some of the 

 smaller feathers. Axik, I. April, 1884. p. /Xd' IX^^ 



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