Bird-Lore
A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE
DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS
Official Organ of the Audubon Societies
| Vol. II | May—June, 1900 | No. 3 |
Song-Birds in Europe and America BY ROBERT RIDGWAY Curator of Birds, I'nited States National Museum T has been repeatedly stated by writers who have had the opportunity of making the comparison, that the United States is very deficient in song-birds as com- pared with Europe — the British Islands in particular. One writer f even goes as far as to say that "it may be safely asserted that in the midland counties of England the Skylark alone, even in the month of March, sings more songs within the hearing of mankind than do all the songsters of the eastern United States" — which, of course, is an exaggeration. The same writer says: "It is, no doubt, very patriotic to prove that the woods and fields of North America are as vocal with bird song as those of England. The attempt has been made, but it is only necessary to cross the Atlantic, stay a month in the British Islands, and then return, taking frequent country walks on both sides of the water, to become convinced that the other side has all the advantage in quantity of bird song. Let us grant that the quality is equal — though it is difficult to understand where in America the peer of the Nightingale can be found — let us grant that the United States possesses a list of song-birds larger than that of the British Islands — all this does not prove that the quantity of bird song is greater. In England bird voices are everywhere. The Chaffinch is more abundant than the Sparrow save in the centers of cities, and his cheery notes can be heard at all times; the Robin Redbreast is common in suburb and village, and is not chary of his voice; and as for the Skylark — it is hard to go anywhere in the country without
- Parts of this article were published in the Audubon Magazine, Vol. I, 1SS7, page 127, but so
much has been added and eliminated that in its present form it is essentially a different paper. tW. H. Lockington, in The Churclinnui.
