38 
NATURE STUDY. 
There is no doubt that the song of the Rose-breasted Gros¬ 
beak, glorious as it is, is frequently attributed to the Rob¬ 
in. Persons hear the song and remark upon it, perhaps, 
as being unusual, but do not take the trouble to trace it to 
its source. 
It will be noticed that I have put the song of the Robin 
in triple time, indicating that the rhythm is in threes. This 
is commonly the case with his song, though sometimes, 
when he is in a hurry, it approaches double time. The 
song of the Grosbeak is always in double time, the rhythm 
being in twos. 
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Aside from the difference in rhythm there is a great diff¬ 
erence in quality of tone, that of the Grosbeak being full, 
rich and sweet. So when you hear what you think is an 
especially gifted Robin get your opera glass quickly and 
turn it on the singer. Very likely you will see not a Rob¬ 
in but a black and white bird with a patch of the most bril¬ 
liant rose red on his breast. If you can get near enough 
to see his bill you will almost laugh. It is huge,—more 
like a nose than a bill, whence the name, Grosbeak. 
The fourth bird is not likely to visit you in town. If 
you want to see him, go just outside of the city or village, 
where mixed woods of pine and oak line the road, and the 
sweet smell of the forest hangs in the air. You may hear 
a song which at first seems as rich and sweet as that of the 
Grosbeak. About at the third phrase it degenerates into 
that of a rather inferior Robin, and at the fourth or fifth 
becomes so exceedingly harsh that you wonder if the voice 
is not crocked. At every new rendering of the song the 
deterioration in quality is manifest, so that it is evidently 
characteristic of the singer. Follow him up, and you will 
