The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-25
OPERAS AMONG THE LEAVES.
TIE NORTHAMPTON BIRD LOVER LIS
TENS 10 SPRING MUSIC

TENS 10 SPRING MUSIC
NE Nstises Tive ssrts Of SeMsstsrs that are
vsstrii.suists = Toying 60 Dessrniss
which MirA Wakes the Hest In tAs Msrusss. |
NORTHAMPTON, May 22.-Ail the mir IL tune |
Sul. these bright days, with the singing OF In |
nunerable birds. Az tho Imaginative auction
ser said when selling an English nobleman's |
country seat. that the only drawback to tho |
place a. residence was tho fact that one
couldn't sleep there at night for the singing OF
the nightingale. 80 assert that tho worst
thing about certain parta oi this town IL that
lnzy persons are compelled to forego their
morning snoozo for the loud melody OF robins
catbirds orioles. bobolihks. wrons and othor
birds. which breaks out At tho first hint Of dawn
Ono must get M early to hear the concert be-
gin. Before the human eye cnn detect the
faint first ray Of light tho birds rscog.
nizs and hail II. ] hnvo often left my
led and gone out Of doors rs early as 8
o'clock In til. morning TO try and ind out
which Of the birds was the herald Of tho day.
but have never been able to discover that any
particular species IL chosen by nature for this
office. In the minority OF instances l havo
found the chipping sparrow to be the earliest
riser. and the first to send his thin. trillinx
song like tho hum OF n tuning.fork. upon tbs
air. Then the song sparrow takes the note
from him. and then successfully follow the
tenor Of the troupe. the robin; the wren. that
plump and ssucy light soprano: the oriole and
catbird. and lastly the bobolink In piod gar
ments. the bufro Of the feathered company.
But Ia truth. II 10 hard to drternins each
ones precedence or following. for when ono
starts the others chime in 30 rapidly that the
distinction OF individual singers IL soon lost.
and ono hears nothing but n large and me-
lodious chorus.
Now the birds operate season is at its height.
It IL unfortunate 1t docs not last longer. But
In fact the birds sing only while they are court
ing and nest building. and the mals waits for
tho female. patiently sitting to hatch her eggs.
The hope Of offspring fulfilled tho idle singer
Ia transformed into III" providsr. and his little
time to indulge HIS musica! tastes while five or
six hungry mouths IRE unappeasabiy gaping
for food. A good many Of the birds already
ind themselves with families upon their claws
SO rapid are natures processes IN lnr effort
70 Keep si ,sI 81 cur brief s.a;ons: In one of
!n tue thick top thereof proclaim thai y lusty
en, bfds trhs has es sis % y't thS IN"
or roosts ,,. on w,,i Donih mar near, by t and
to bring them worms and eruIs. | sit near BY
ins. and susprcting NJ, Intentions. although he
must know BY this time Tint they are not I'M
Which, s s"s tn ns sp os
self uniailing power to deceive but is. in fact.
"t the utmost ,trnnspnrency. When he comes
mouth mo- he makes u vastly os,cniatlous Show oi
nYing prnmiunntiv Ivy tn. trrn in which his
done liza watches his. opportunity. and. when
hn thinks no Que II observing him. repairs. as
quietly and seyretly as rossilIe. 70 hi, act!Ia
lWwer. Then ! hear sub,lued c',cklinE In the
iyisllins Mrs. Bnekhir! Of his .x.s",.inE "a
a Al n. tt,r al rn I'm N ~
d. n good wils should do. THIS lttn bit Of
finesss I see enacted twenty times y day. and
rejoice to observe. the immense amount Of Sut-
i.iactioh the bird seems to tuks in it's supposed
"Hs aeiss, the English sparrow as bird wholly
dlnptayed. a rob6er. n brigand. pirate. and
everything that is bnd. yet cnnnot forbear to
n"a e
81 our native varieties IN respect OF intel igence.
! snv ons Of them perform feat the other day,
which entertained me greatly. He had found
lis ln..Iiisenss SEEMED to tell him was syesl-
conHdsn!ly. then. hs seized one end Of i il hls
bsnk: and few away with II. Soon: however
dust H. picked himself up shook himself.
s witch les i ss
ihs middle, bpt nj. time he was ,sntangled
before he had risen to the height Of a yard. He
then rquatted down. painting. regarding the
shs S ss IL
n; S SS%p.d re- sv
up S1 10 s sEs eoh. and with claws aud b rolled
Eup into . co!npaet bail. Then he drove his
ss int ;hs his head or twice
ss M 'f .s sMHs ie rsns"aed this did
and rather profoundly. too. at times.
presume 1t is known TO u good many nat
triloauism. although don't remember TO have
seen The fnet mentioned In print. and y ts
mMD Inn new scarlet tournr eP - nossess it. and
have often seen th!s bir'' singing over my
head while his note sounded twenty rods on al
least. On the other hand, haV. sometimes
heard III" song apparently quite near me- when
the bird who made IL was found 70 hs ~ y trne
ger could control this pnw.r. and. employed II
10 hafir humnn enemies, for he docs not . ron,
iira. lucauss have snm"tim-. henr'i u bird tina
knew saw me. sing 80 that the sound coul.
I h ssn:N Will Il rom any STr insr
signal success. So now know nothing OF til,
snaoweI With ,his strange faculty. .ha,
until a few days ago. whe, / found, the woo(
thrush. the most henutful OF American song
I on. Mood r ,s esaa "E s.p ryns Wh"
- tia hour ri sunset uppr"ache'. the woe
thrushes began 70 pipe up Al about h me- ne M ~
ss%s s from ia;s. and sssr and ID. ds i; \,
hear. II his ear were keen enough
when they are wet with rain. one Dir,
striking u note and moving harnloninqsly "
aud down the scnie the nest the MIRA nbnE
the dominant. and another the iif,l, Unit, tn
air IL full OF exquisite chords AMI cnmbiha
tions such as no musician would Ventura upon
but which sound swerty when coming IRON
the birds. No two sing alike, hut Nil hnrmoni
opsy and with m indsSr,'L, ,h EsaMiS OF Won ,"n.
seemed additionally beautiful when hear
amid the shadows OF the 600! spring woods
and pnrticunriy 10 the nearest hird. which
located by his note in ihicK bush irw ~, ro ~
standing perfectly stiil-for birds aro NJ
afraid o. man but only of liis clumsy mn W,
bough not ten feet away. That n" wn
singing / could see from tho movrman.
OF his throat and bin. and his appearances e
absorbed plrasnre-for birds a.,isht IN 1 h;n
own uIaiOdv-but no sound ctnr from nm
although the unseen bird in the distant bus
continued to ,riii and carol Presently IN
thrush stopped singing. md rewarded M. nv IT..
toutiy NJ II desiring my opinion IN ms linf