I sit down, he pauses to observe me, and
extends his pretty ramblings on all sides, apparently very much
engrossed with his own affairs, but never losing sight of me. But few
of the birds are walkers, most being hoppers, like the robin.
Satisfied that I have no hostile intentions, the pretty pedestrian
mounts a limb a few feet from the ground, and gives me the benefit of
one of his musical performances, a sort of accelerating chant.
Commencing in a very low key, which makes him seem at a very uncertain
distance, he grows louder and louder till his body quakes and his
chant runs into a shriek, ringing in my ear, with a peculiar
sharpness. This lay may be represented thus:
[TRANSCRIBISTS NOTE: ORIGINAL BOOK USES FONT SHIFTS
TO ILLUSTRATE AN INCREASE IN VOLUME]
"Teacher, Teacher, Teacher, Teacher, Teacher!"--the accent on the
first syllable and each word uttered with increased force and
shrillness. No writer with whom I am acquainted gives him credit for
more musical ability than is displayed in this strain. Yet in this the
half is not told. He has a far rarer song, which he reserves for some
nymph whom he meets in the air.
Pages:
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92