34 
BIRDS 
equally characteristic, should culminate 
in like manner,—“And the call of the 
High-Hole comes up from the wood.” 
It is a loud, strong, sonorous call, and 
does not seem to imply an answer, but 
rather .to subserve some purpose of love 
or music. It is “Vamp's” proclamation 
of peace and good-will to all. On look¬ 
ing at the matter closely, I perceive that 
most birds, not denominated songsters, 
have, in the spring, some note or sound 
or call that hints of a song, and answers 
imperfectly the end of beauty and 
art. As a “lievlier iris changes on the 
burnished dove,” and the fancy of the 
young man turns lightly to thoughts of 
his pretty cousin, so the same renewing 
spirit touches the "“silent singers,” and 
they are no longer dumb; faintly they 
lisp the first syllables of the marvellous 
tale. Witness the clear, sweet whistle of 
the Gray-Crested Titmouse,—the soft, 
nasal piping of the Nuthatch,—the amor¬ 
ous, vivacious warble of the Bluebird,— 
the long, rich note of the Meadow-Lark, 
—the whistle of the Quail,—the drum¬ 
ming of the Partridge,—the animation 
