A Study of a Lincoln's Sparrow m 2. Trills similar to those just described but connected by un- broken series of short, soft, liquid notes, among which the tsiip call common to both the Junco and Lincoln's Sparrow were frequently interpolated, the whole forming a protracted and very musical medley almost exactly like that given by the Junco in early spring. This song should perhaps be regarded as a mere variation of No. i, but as the bird never changed from one to the other I have kept them apart. 3. A rapid warble, at times flowing smoothly and evenly and ex- ceedingly like the song of the Purple Finch, at others brighter and more glancing, the notes rolling over one another, as it were, and sug- gesting those of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet ; again with a rich throaty quality and in form, as well as tone closely like the song of the House Wren ; still again guttural and somewhat broken or stuttering, like that of the Long-billed ^larsh Wren. Although the first and last of these songs were very unlike, I have put them all under one head, because the bird often used them all during a single singing period and frequently changed from one to another by insensible gradations. 4. Song in slow, measured bars separated by brief intervals, the cadences alternately swelling and dying softly, some of the notes trilled or shaken, the whole resembling in general form as well as in manner of delivery the songs of Bachman's Finch and the Hermit Thrush, and possessing not a little of the same spiritual quality. Some of these songs were fixed and uniform at all times ; others varied within the limits I have just indicated ; all resembled and two or three exactl}' reproduced the songs of other species of birds. Indeed, not one can safely be regarded as original either in form or tone. Those classified under different numbers were never inter- changed save after protracted periods of silence, the particular theme selected on each occasion being repeated with little or no variation until the bird ceased singing, while it was sometimes made to serve for a whole forenoon. I can think of no other bird which sings in this way, borrowing his songs from half a dozen other species, never intermingling them nor combining them with notes of his own, but selecting one for one hour or occasion, another for another. With such a repertoire, even though it be borrowed or stolen, Lincoln's Sparrow might easily rank as the first among North American singing birds were it not that his voice has so little power that its remarkable beauty and flexibility cannot be appreciated unless one is very near the singer. It is quite possible, too, that
