The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1910-08-26


Like most Americans interested IN
birds and books, know good deal
about English birds as they appear ia
books | know the lark OF Shake.
speare and Shelley and the Ettrick
shepherd; know the nightingale Of
Milton and Keats: know Words
WORMS cuckoo: | know mayis and
MERLE singing In the merry green wood
Of the old ballads; | know Jenny Wren
and Cock Robin OF the nursery books.
Therefore have always much desired
70 hear the birds 10 real life; and the
opportunity offered last June. As !
could snatch but few hours from n
very exacting round Of pleasures and
duties. II was necessary for me 70 be
with some companion who could idcn.
tify both song and singer. In Sir
Edward Grey, a keen lover Of outdoor
life IN all its phases. and delight.
ful companion, who knows the songs
and ways Of English birds as very few
do know them. | found the best pos
alble guide.
We left London on the morning Of
June Q, ~ hours before | sailed from
southampton. Getting on the train at
Basingstoke. we drove 10 the pretty,
smiling valley Of the ltchen Here
Tvs trampod for three or four hours
then again drove. this time to the edge
Of the New Forest. where we first
took tea at an inn, and then tramped
through the forest 10 an inn on Its 9th.
er side, az Bruckenhurst. At the con
clusion Of our walk my companion
made Hat OF the birds we had seen
putting an nstcrisk opposite those
which we had heard sing. There we're
"a Of the former and 80 Of tho latter.
rs follows
Thrush. 'B4ackbird. sLark. .Yeliow
Hammer, Robin. "Wren, Golden
Crested Wren, 'Goldaneh. sGreenanch.
Pied Wagtali. sparrow. sDunnock
Hedge Aecentorl. MISSED Thrush.
Startling, Rock. Jackdaw, tBlaek Cap,
Garden Warbler, sWlilow Warbler,
'chtn char. 'Wood Warbler. Stree
crceper, creed Bunting, "sedge War,
bier coot, Water Hen, Little Cirebe
tDabchickl Tufted Duck, Wood ri
econ, Stock Dove, "rurtle Dove. Pee
VII, Tlt t2coal Tit), sCuckoo. sNlght
lar. swallow, Martin, swift. Pheasant.
Partridge
The bird that most impressed me
on my walk was the blackbird. had
already heard nlghtingales In album
dance near Lake Como. aud had also
listened to larks. but | had never heard
either the blackblrd, the song thrush,
or tho black cup warbler: and while
knew all three were good singers,
did not know what really beau,
llinl singers they we're Blaekbirds
were very abundant, and they played a
prominent part In the chorus which we
heard throughout the day on every
hand, though perhaps loudeat the fol
owing morning at dawn In It's habits
and manners. the blackblrd strlkingly
our American robin, and IN.
Iced looks exactly like a robin. with
4 yellow bill and eual-black plumage.
L hops everywhere over the lawns,
lnst as our robin does, and II lives in
nesta In the gardens In the same fash.
lon Its song has a general resem.
olauce TO that OF our robin. but many
81 the notes are far more musical,
more like those OF our wood thrush.
Indeed there were individuals among
those We heard certain OF whose notes
seemed 10 me almost to equal In point
of melody the chimes Of the wood
thrush. and the highest possible praise
Tor any song bird is to liken its song
to that OF the wood thrush or hermit
thrush. ! certainly do not think that
tao blackbird has received full Justice
in the books, | knew that Il was a
singer, but ! really had no Idea how
iine a singer he WIS, | suppose one OF
h. troubles has been his name, lust
as with our own cat bird When he
appears In the ballads as the merle,
hraeketed with his cousin, the mavis,
the song thrush. II II far easter to rec.
tgntze him as the master singer that
be Ia II Is a fine thing for England
20 have such an asset OF the country.
tide. q bird so common. so much In eyi.
dencs, so fearless, and such really
beAutMnl singer
The most musical singer we heard
was the black cap warbler. To my
my ear It's song seemed more musical
than that Of the nightingale. Il was
astonlshingly powerful for so small a
bird: In volume and continuity II does
not come up TO the songs OF the
thrushes and Of certain other birds
but in quality. a. an isolated bit OF
melody, Il can hardly be surpassed.
Among the minor singers the robin
was noticeable, We all know this
pretty little bird from the books, aud
| was prepared to tind him as friendly
and attractive as he proved TO be. hut
] had not realized how well he sang
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