The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-16
MORNING BIRD-MUSlC.


n MARBLE interrupted long.
hear the robins nufe-fike noset
The bauebird's slenderer song.
- HE melody Of nature il sweetest
and most expressive Of joy and
gladneas IN the early morning.
II u in their mathis that the
Ill choFtseers Of bardland excel in
power and sympathy Of inter-
urs<atiea. So0e Of the vesper songs OF
the Wildwood are extremely sweet ana
touching, notably those OF the veeper spar
rov. tho wood thrush. the Aeld sparrow
tfnal perfcrmances OF natures songsters
there arc . charm and . freshness snher-
ent 70 the melody itself not suggested by
surroundings. Yet many persons miss the
early chorals Of hirdlapd. for they fail to
heed the exhortatton TO
Rise early In the morning
II you want to hear the birds oes1n 70
sing.
scarcely has the faint gray Of dawn APP
reared before voices OF waking songsters
Are waited on the dew-laden air. Others
minrle their calls and lyrics with those
OF the prelude. and presently the full ora
torio Of nature 10 swelling In power ana
harmony.
"A this season the catbirds are the earii-
est performees. From aroor or tree they
beGin 20 utter their mathis while the faint
est gray IL stealing over the eastern hort-
som II the bird lover II 80 situated that
. pair Of catbirdo have established their
homo near his bed room windew. he may
frequently be awakened BY the lyrics OF
the male. repeating anew the story OF his
affection. With imprisoned persistence
be sings from earliest dawn to latest dusk.
Swing . generous recital from one sta
ton, then hitting 20 an adjacent tree or
bush for another display Of vocalism.
The past week have been deeply I'm
pressed with the power and sktll or tho
catbird a. a songster and - mimic.
Having given close attention to the vo-
caiism OF both the brown thrasher and the
catbird. particularly with regard to their
powers OF mimicry. I have determined to
my own satisfaction that the former song
ster does not attempt to initiate the notes
Of other performers. while the catbird 10
. real mimic. and eminently deserves the
popular title Of gray mockingbird."
The trees and shruhbery about my home
are the haunts Of q catbird whose mate
has apparently chosen = site and set up
housekeeping In the neighborhood. At tho
first appearance Of dawn the male begins
his madrigals where his sweet scales and
measures float through the window and
greet my drowsy ears. In his sktllfuIly
executed phrases and difficult passages I
have often detected notes characteristic
OF other wildwood musicians. In one no.
ticeable strain OF his performance he ut
tern clearly the notes OF the towhee. fol-
lowing them with the ringing "cissel.
cissel." Of the common hedgcrow soloist
dickcissel. Tho different notes Of the
robin seem to be wrought here and there
into the recital Of this particular songster.
as well ~ the warhling Of the bluebird.
and snatches Of songs easily identified by
the lover of bird music.
Tho persistence Of the catbirds at this
season In giving expression to their mu-
steal impulses Is remarkable ana really
under the mark In asserting that the song
ster mentioned above spends four hfths
Of the day In ,votcang his happiness. begin
ming at dawsI anStng. even In the hsated
portions u tho day. and concluding late
SITTER sunset He prefers to eng continue
ously Sor many minutes In Ono spot. usual
" screened from observation BY cluster.
ing foliage, then to nit to another tree or
bush and execute another round Of unin-
terrupted. brilliant melody. Frequently he
alights In tho top Of thu highest apple
tree and aings for few minutes In full
view, but such vocalism IL the exception
that proves the rule.
Tho mellow whistling Of the cardinals
aids IN the swelling chorals Of dawn. In
their woodland haunts these spleodid red
birds arc the first astir chipping sharply
- they MT among the bushes IN quest Of
berries for their morning farA II In not
necessary for the friend Of nature b 60
far from his dooryard. however. to hear
the voices Of his feathered friends. Resi-.
dents OF suburban localities and Of coun-
try towns may hear an orchestra render
ing delightful symphonies In the trees and
shrubbery Of gardens and lawns or In the
lofty eams and naples that shade the side
walk A the whistle OF the Highland
chieftain caused copse and bush to seem
animate with plaided warriors, 90 atten-
ton to ones surroundings may disclose
forms Of life where none was even sus-
pected, and the city streets may well re-
pay the attention Of the otherwise limited
observer.
cially In considering tho habits Of the car
dinals. for from garden trees and shrub
berry their mellow ming rings out cheer
ily regardless Of the nearby hustle and
movement Of urban activity Regal visit
ors DAey are truly. and worthy OF our OPP
en- admiration. as they nit among the gar
den foliage with their snowy vermiliion
red livery and jet markings. calling with
rich fulness Of melody. Lately ! heard
two males some distance apart, each re-
peatsng the syilaables ''whit-to-too'' Ave or
six times In succession. The commonest
call Of the cardinals - . long indrawn
whistM like "tyou." repeated several
times successfully.
The wrens are the next performers whose
voices can Do QlHSFenudLeQ ttOtl HctO~
dious medley. Their first utferance In one
Ct their full songr. a ringing, gushing
roundelay Then they are silent for
brief period. after which they repeat their
titties and Join in the exercises Of the
hour with energetic and persistent vocal
ism. In the fervency OF their emotions
these dtminutive chortsters utter from
twelve to fifteen songs per minute. though
their nervous. restless disposition usually
causes them to change their occupation
and thus break the flow OF menody before
they have sung many minutes
On q recent morning was interested In
watching the movements OF several wrens
in my dooryard. A pair had established a
homo In an upright gas pipe. near which
were two catalpa trees that served tho
male an convenient stations from which to
pour forth his ditties Across the street
another male claimed quarters. and Il ap-
reared that the latter had crossed the
street and ventured to sing in the premises
OF the former The wrens are excessively
puenacious. despite their diminutive size.