Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-15
The Voice Of Bird S
By
G. WILLIAM BEEBE


ing or rumbling but rnerges into rolling laugh
ter-lke monotone; then occur several breaks with
another higher and different which in
turn predominates as strange slowly rising cry like
the of the wind through ships rigging gale,
through the tops of spruces. Put into words, it
is something like this: RtCheL rOdO, rumble, rdh,
7aah a-a- dh- d -a 1Oah- -i0o-oo-0o
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo! rising to climax at the enc a
quartet of these birds could put whole crowd of
undergraduates to shame.
Strange and uncouth as this unearthly cry GER
tainly is, yet when we remember that its author
is a member of the kinghSher family detect
the underlying rattle motif characteristic of all
the group. Perhaps the antithesis to this cry in
the call of the tiny Texas kingfisher, which l have
often heard in Mexico, a series of dminutive clicks
equally unlike and yet bringing to mind the we'll
known musical rattle of common belted king
fisher. The accession of the laughing jackass has
indeed introduced a major chord in the symphony
of the Bird House.
In a cage next to this bird is a small flock of
laughing thrushes from India, and jolly birds they
are. Every interesting event of the daY-the cage
cleaning arrival of food watering of the plants-is
watched with intense curiosity, and invariably
hailed with loud ringing jeers, with a most inim-
liable touch of mockery in their tones Thus was
greeted the arrival of the laughing jackass; but
after he had settled down and had entered upon
his tri-day outburst, the jays were taken aback
They peered and peered at this strange vocal rival
and since their examinations have been
subdued, and uttered more as if to each other
TT seems as if among almost every group of birds
L there is at least with a voice resembling
or less the laugh of human being. In Mexico one
can hardly believe when he hears peal after peal of
wild laughter ringing through the jungle, that far
from being maniac, or at least troop of monkeys
it is in reality remarkably handsome hawk
creamy white with black wings and back, and a dark
band passing through the eyes.
If we hken the various cries and songs in the
Bird House to the parts of orchestra the bass
viols and drums are all to be found in the vicinity
of the kingfsher and the thruShes. Indeed it must
not be thought too ridiculous that the roadrunner,
Gagged with the laughing Jackass takes the part of
the bones. Like SO many birds which are devoid
of vocal utterance the road-runner is able to ex-
press his emotions by mechanical means. Ever
and anon his mandibles clash together in a rapid
series of clicks, which initiate by running
a stick rapidly along the Pickets of fence.
But now for the bass voices of the bird world
The hornblls leaders here, giving vent to Deep
gruff banks roars sometimes exceedingly dog
like in character Their bite too is as bad as their
bark, for their bills extremely sharp and strong
In an adjoining cage far more pleasant musi-
that it is often difficult to trace the sound to its
source, even though the hall echoes with it These
the majestic, great crowned pigeons, the giants
of their race, who with breast dstended, but bill
tight closed utter tones, lower than those
of the deepest bass of instrument. Blow into
the bung- hole of empty and mighty cask and
you have similar tone. AS in the case of the giant
nghshers cry, the exaggerated notes of this great
pigeon akin in their sonorous quality to the COO
of the pigeon.
The most impressive voice among birds is prob
ably that of the ostrich, deep, loud roar strongly
crescendo and similar to a lions that travellers
have again and again mistaken one for the other.
For quantity if not quality of utterance, parrots
doubtless excel, their feshy tongues allowing them