Cause of Singing in Birds, 433 



merely, " The time of the singing of birds is come:" but we 

 want to know why it is come ; is it because spring is come, or 

 because the birds of passage have returned to their singing 

 quarters ? By the way, do our summer birds continue in 

 song in the more genial climes to which they return during 

 winter, or do they not? This, Fthink, is a matter worthy of 

 investigation. I am inclined to think that I put the proper 

 construction upon the words of Solomon, because he con- 

 nects the singing of birds with the " voice of the turtle." 

 Is the turtle a bird of passage in India ? If my conjectures 

 are right, the observations of Solomon are perfectly natural : 

 " The voice of the turtle is heard in our land." Why? because 

 she is just returned from her winter quarters, and the other 

 song birds have returned home with her; and, therefore, "the 

 time of the singing of birds is come." 



From my own observation, I am a periodist, if I may use 

 the term. I conceive that all nature requires a certain period 

 for repose ; and, when that period has been accomplished, all 

 awakens to an antagonist, or counterbalancing, period of life 

 and vigour, whatever may be the season. Birds sing, flowers 

 bloom, trees bud, after a certain quantum of repose, whatever 

 the weather may be. A forward spring may excite them to 

 somewhat earlier operation ; but I do not think that a back- 

 ward spring has any great influence in retarding them. I 

 have seen swallows in April during frost and snow ; and the 

 cuckoo appeared this spring quite as early as usual : and I am 

 sure there never could have been a spring more ungenial.* I 

 take it, that neither the period of repose, nor the period of 

 excitation, can either of them be protracted much beyond its 

 usual time, either by natural or artificial means, without injury. 

 I take it to be much like sleep : I have been accustomed (it 

 is natural to me) to go to bed at a certain hour, and to get 

 up in the morning at a certain hour ; when, therefore, my bed- 

 time arrives, I cannot keep myself awake without pain ; when 

 my waking time arrives, then the bed is uncomfortable : and 

 I must farther add, that a change in my sleeping and waking 

 hours is the most disagreeable change I can encounter. So- 

 lomon seems to sanction some such idea in the passage quoted, 

 " The time of the singing of birds is come." Why? because the 

 the period of their silence and repose is fully accomplished. 

 I throw out these hints for consideration : I hazard no positive 

 opinion. 



As to the utility of phrenological investigation connected 

 with this, or with any other subject (VII. 567, 568.; IX. 207. 

 288, 289.)> upon that point "this deponent sayeth not," ex- 



* The ungenial weather does not appear to have left us yet : we had an 

 abundant hoar frost last night, June 5. 1836. 



