700 



APPENDIX. 



But it is not only in tone and variety that the 

 nightingale excells •, the bird alio fings (if I may fo 

 exprefs myfelf) with fuperior judgement and tafte. 



I have therefore commonly obfcrved, that my 

 nightingale began foftly like the ancient orators ; 

 referving its breath to fwell certain notes, which 

 by this means had a mod aftonifhing effecl:, and 

 which eludes all verbal defcription. 



I have indeed taken down certain paflfages which 

 may be reduced to our mufical intervals ; but 

 though by thefe means one may [form an idea of 

 fome of the notes ufed, yet it is impoflible to give 

 their comparative durations in point of mufical 

 time, upon which the whole effect muft depend. 



I once procured a very capital player on the flute 

 to execute the notes which Kircher hath engraved 

 in his Mufurgia, as being ufed by the nightingale ; 

 when, from want of not being able to fettle their 

 refpective lengths, it was impoflible to obferve any 

 traces almoft of the nightingale's fong. 



It may not be improper here to confider, whether 

 the nightingale may not have a very formidable 

 competitor in the American mocking-bird * ; though 

 almoft all travellers agree, that the concert in the 



* Turdus Americanus minor canorus. Ray's Sjn. It is calr 

 led by the Indians, Contlatoll: ; which is faid to fignify four 

 hundred tongues. Se© alfo Cate/Iy, 



European 



