San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-10-22
NOTABLE EVOLUTION.
PECULIAR MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT
OF THE COMMON ROBIN
Is He Likely to Become q Rival of His
Cousin, the Catbird?-A Musical Feath-
cred Family-wonderful Variations Of
Bird Music.

cred Family-Wonderful Variations Of
Bird Music.
The remarkable power Of the catbird as
singer is known to all those who give it safe
and welcome retreat. Yet find even such
writers as Baird describing it after this man.
ner: IAN American bird of the thrush fam
ily, whose cry resembles the mewing Of
cat" In reality it is the hooking bird of the
north, possessed of the ability to sing what
ever notes he hears. have them 80 perfectly
at home in my grounds, that their delicious
music is heard at all hours Of the day, and
often in the middle of the night 1t is very
curious to hear one of them MARBLE in low
KEY to himself what some other bird is sing
ing loudly A few days since | heard one
mimic a red squirrel, and he did it To per-
lection. II he had not enjoyed the fun so
well that he could not keep from hopping
about, should not have known which was
squirrel.
Ibid not, however, intend, except incid-
entally, to write about the catbird, Minus
Carolinenss. 1t, however, makes it easier
for us to conceive the possibility OF an evolu-
ton of superior vocalization in his relatives,
when we consider his mastery ability. What
| wish to record is a remarkable development
in the case of his cousin the common robin,
or migratory thrush. Every one knows
what clumsy singer he is, having a rough,
see saw note, that he repeats with little varl-
alton. For some reason the other birds give
him precedence in the morning song with
which daylight is greeted about 3:.jJ IN June.
The first note comes always from the eaSt-a
faint, far away cry: then another cry leaps
or Oe tree nearer YOU, and then aaOth
AL another So the wave of robin melody
moves west ward, over the house ana over
the land, preceding the rising sun, PROBABLY
rom the Atlantic to the Pacific This song
is peculiarly adapted TO constitute matin
cry, being clear, strong and cordial. But 1t
is not musical.
LIKE HUMAN ARTICULATION.
In June of 1887, crossing one of my lawns,
l heard cry so peculiarly like articulation
that | was startled: Hear this birdie! Hear
this birdie! Hear this pretty birdief' the
last notes being exquisitely rendered. with n
wave and upward bend. had never heard
such song before, and imagined q new
species of bird must have arrived; but after
careful examination, found the singer to be
veritable robin redbreast, and not a new
conner at all The song was repeated ell the
W VA tilIS IL
OF course, awaited the opening Of spring
with anxiety, to know if our birdie would re-
turn. Almost the first song of spring. sure
enough, was one morning in April: Hear
this birdie Hear this birdier' But, better
yet, it was apparent that the babes of this
family were singing, not the old robins see
saw. but the new song. And now about my
place are three or four of oar brides What
was notable was not only the remarkable
evolution of musical power, but q love for
music; for our birdie, unlike the robins in
general, sang all day, like the catbirds. |
could hear one or more at almost any hour.
This drew my attention to the cause Of
the unexpected variation. John Burroughs
suggested that it might be the song taught
to one that had been Gagged and afterward
escaped; but am more inclined to think that
it is a natural variation or evolution, and
that the robin has great and undeveloped
power. 1t IS a phlegmatic bird, that takes
the world easy, and is not likely to exert itself
in new directions. The catbird is fond Of
notice, likes to be whistled to and enjoys
answering back He is likely to develop all
sorts of new vocal accomplishments. But
the robin is really lazy, and does as little hard