Feb., 1903.] 
.4 Hermit Thrush Song. 
373 
should be said that in proportion as the bird seemed to be exert- 
ing himself, as for example on one occasion when suddenly joined 
by his mate, the metallic overtones were less prominent, and in 
certain of the key varieties they were nearly absent. The long 
opening notes were the freest, the high, rapid ones the most bur- 
dened with overtones. At their worst the highest figures were 
occasionally almost squeaky but in the full song they were by no 
means lacking in sweetness, and they were always clear and sharp. 
Heard from a very close range the long full notes were fairly 
piercing, so sweet, full, and vibrant were they. They were too 
loud for comfort, and when the bird suddenly began to sing while 
perched on a fence about ten feet from my tent it fairly made my 
ears ring. 
The most characteristic feature of the song in the line of vocal 
modulation was as simple as the phrase itself, but equally effec- 
tive. The opening long note was struck firmly and held some- 
times with a slight crescendo, but the succeeding rapid figures 
were progressively diminished in loudness until the last clearly 
uttered notes faded away in a silvery tinkle. This smorzando or 
diminuendo utterance was almost habitual with the “camp thrush,’’ 
and was indescribably effective. It suggested the modulation of 
the piano player since it surpassed in extent of diminution and 
in delicacy of utterance at the end anything within the compass 
of a wind instrument. But the piano smorzando woidd lack the 
crescendo on the opening note. 
The whole song was vigorous and sure in delivery, slow T — 
since the phrases, taking at the most two and a half seconds in 
delivery, were separated by four to six seconds of silence — but 
perfectly steady in tempo, and certain in execution. The unusual 
richness and vibrant power of the tone, enhanced by the effective 
smorzando utterances of successive phrases, with the never-failing 
alternation of key and pitch marked the song off from any other 
sound of the Canadian woods. 
This bird was by no means unusual, nor on the contrary iden- 
tical with others of his species. His nearest neighbor differed 
from him in several marked ways, being less regular in song 
form, having much more variety in his phrases, using minor as 
well as major keys, being less distinct and finished in utterance 
although rather sweeter in voice, singing a little more slowly and 
a little less loudly, being rather inferior in penetration, and not 
using the smorzando delivery so much. But both were master- 
singers. 
