THE AUTUMN SONG OF BIRDS.
By O.V. Aplin, F.L.S., M.B.O.U.
Mr. Charles A. Witchell, in a communication in the August number (p. 358) referring to a paper by me on "The Autumn Song of Birds" ('Zoologist,' 1894, p. 411), states that I classed the Robin and Starling with the Thrush and Hedgesparrow as commencing to sing in November, or even in October; and Mr. Witchell adds: "But the two former birds begin their autumn song (if such it be) in August, or earlier." This only presents a part of my meaning, and, I think, misrepresents that. What I really said, as anyone who reads my paper should see, was that the song which the Robin and Starling began to sing in November, or even in October, was "not an autumn song, properly so called. It is the beginning of their ordinary song, which they will continue through the following spring." And on page 411 I stated that "The Robin's autumn song is of course familiar to everybody." This last is the song which is heard at the beginning of August or the end of July.
Since writing my paper, I have twice heard the Blackbird singing in autumn, viz. on Sept. 1st, 1895, and Nov. 22nd, 1896; and probably on both occasions it was singing the autumn song properly so called. On the second occasion a bird sang for some time just before sunset (it was a very mild day); the notes were rather poor, but numerous; perhaps the singer was an early-hatched bird of the year. A correspondent has sent me notes of a Blackbird singing on October 19th and 20th and December 28th. But I feel sure that these four are only very exceptional cases. The same correspondent sent me a note of Blackcaps singing in a very low and subdued tone on September 5th and 8th; and I may add that in the first days of August this year I heard, at close quarters, a Blackcap singing a few notes in an undertone in the intervals of eating my fruit. But these feeble attempts cannot be compared with the autumn song uttered by some other birds.
