57 
The Warblers : The Grey Warbler 
in this way, on being repeated the opening is omitted. If the 
bird would combine more of the themes in the way these are 
combined, it would be one of the finest, as it is our most 
constant, songster. At times the softened notes are sounded 
but not heard; at times they are not sounded. 
The character of this common Wellington song is plaintive; 
but the theme is also varied in a way that changes its character 
to one of cheerfulness. This variation is most commonly heard 
as (22), the theme rising and falling instead of falling and 
rising, the effect being very much the same as the opposing 
2-SV ?. _^ 
> > > 
23 
M 
ro. dl ro . dl ro.dl ri . i e e 
themes opening and closing Greig’s “Death of Ase.” At a 
distance, again, the softer notes are lost. Several variations 
of this theme have been noted in various parts about Wel¬ 
lington. In (23) the usual triplets are replaced by pairs, which 
are sung more slowly; the notes, too, are vocalized. At a dis¬ 
tance the first ten notes were followed by a rest: on the bird 
being approached, the faint slur iu was heard in the place of the 
rest. This free mingling of twos and triplets, whilst perfect 
time is kept, is evidence of the bird’s ear for time. 
My reason for supposing that there may be two species of 
warbler is that in each of the two the song, besides differing 
in general character, more particularly in definiteness, has 
