Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-01-30
Overheard
in Already
4.
BY CHARLES C. ABBOTT

well-a-day, what eye may see

"Ah, well-a-day, what eye may see
The forest tops Of Arcady?"
have seen daily not only the for
est tops of my Already, but have known
the way since childhood. My own
feet have worn the path thither, and
whatever the season, whether the dog
star RACES or winter rules the world,
1t is always Already under the old oaks.
My sense OF hearing distinctly gains
by lending no other to Its assistance.
Blind to all about me, not sound but
is more distinct and few escape recog-
milton. So, comfortably seated, close
my eyes and listen. Then It is that
charming tales are overheard In Ar
cady and only then do those whisper
tended for other delectatiOn than that
of the whisperer. There are the songs
OF birds free to all the world, and those
medltatlve melodies on so low q key
that only favored few have overheard
them.
Probably the first time my atten-
ton was called to the whisper songs
of birds was forty years ago, when,
one brisk March morning. recorded Of
a foxy sparrow that ut was whispering
to a withered oak leaf" As I look now
at the tattered and stained page Of the
old notebook I wildly recall the day.
But truce to comparisons, the bane
alike Of profitable meditation and Of ac-
curat6 description. The simple fact
was, foxy sparrow very near me be-
gan singing In so low tone that /
was In doubt whether II were bird
or musical vesper mouse sitting In
the doorway Of his bush nest. had
to look long to make sure OF my first
Impression. II was sparrow, and,
as then wrote, II "was whispering to
an oak leaf" SO 1t seemed, that Is;
but let that pass. 1t was singing to
itself. Surely not note was loud
enough to be heard half rod away.
There was little variation In the sound
as heard 1t 1t was humming rather
than singing, and bore no resemblance
to that delightful sunset hymn 50 char
acterlstic of the bird. My single i'm
lession Of 1t was that of personal
qualification. The bird was In medi-
tative mood. Its thoughts ran to mu-
sic, as we should say of ourselves, re-
calling the words Of some familiar
song. As this Is no uncommon trait
among mankind, do not see why the
same habit should not be INDUCED In
by birds "ieo 0i'5
Twice have witnessed under most
favorable circumstances the move
ments of cardinal grosbeak when
utterlng what venture to call his
meditations, or whisper song. The
name counts for little, because all de-
scription must fail In accurately pOr-
traying this feature OF bird life.
In the early summer Of 1895 had
disabled rose-breasted grOsbeak In
cage. It soon became cOntented with
Its surroundings and was not startled
by the near approach Of any Of the
family. Every morning, commencing
soon after sunrise, II sang as vigorous
ly as any Of Its kind flying about the
yard; and this Is with us common
bird, nesting on the hillside and in the
orchard. Again Mt evening the bird
was given TO singing I'm its matcbless
way, aud l could detect no difference
between its song and TINT of tbose
about the premises. Besides this ordi.
nary song Of the rose breast, was
frequently treated to widely different
one, heard only when nil was ouIet
II was truly n whispered song II bore
little resemblance 10 the grand ont.
burst of melody intended for all the
world to hear. II can he dascrIhed
best. think. by calling IL the echo OF
n distant flute. That the bird was
intensely absorbed nv its own music
a,,neored evident from tbe swavin0
motion OF the body nj the time and an
occasional trembling accomnanIed nv
n ruglIng Of the feathers and nervous
twltchlng of the tail. No "wood notes
wild" that have ever heard are com
parable TO this wonderful whIspered
song Of tbe rose breost
An ,hsorvors a.o s.u,u,. ,.,,,, a..
r,co.sont chIrntro -, ,nInra.,ra ,,.a.
and ,nonv oro ,I,a a,yno, sn,,as ,.ha,'
,ho rod uinos ,hrono ,ha ,norshas and
a,o,1a y, aro,I',a e,,,aa,, aa."ss 49,.
naodows These birds are eocb =
merry roce nowIse akin but lover.
~ tho anna sc.nas aud ,hav have 40,
tho oc,oher ,and.conos IN a lively t,na
A. t,mss omono mo trees 700 boar The
countless voIces NJ some nass,no nock
nerhons of nurnle fnches the warblers
Cav wIngs cow.nen birds mr. Iarks
Thess ara forever coming and go,ng