34 BIRD-SONGS. 



and the hylas ! If these cold-blooded, low-lived 

 creatures, after sleeping all winter in the mud,^ 

 are free to make so much use of their voices, 

 surely a bird of the air may sing his unobtrusive 

 song without being cross-examined concerning 

 the purpose of it. Why do the mice sing, and 

 the monkeys, and the woodchucks? Indeed, 

 sir, — if one may be so bold, — why do you sing, 

 yourself ? " 



This matter - of - fact Darwinism need not 

 frighten us. It will do us no harm to remember, 

 now and then, " the hole of the pit whence we 

 were digged ; " and besides, as far as any rela- 

 tionship between us and the birds is concerned, 

 it is doubtful whether we are the party to com- 

 plain. 



But avoiding " genealogies and contentions," 

 and taking up the question with which we be- 

 gan, we may safely say that birds sing, some- 

 times to gratify an innate love for sweet sounds ; 

 sometimes to win a mate, or to tell their love 

 to a mate already won ; sometimes as practice, 

 with a .view to self-improvement ; and some- 

 times for no better reason than the poet's, — "I 

 do but sing because I must." In general, they 



1 There is no Historic-Genealogical Society among the birds, 

 and the robin is not aware that his own remote ancestors were rep- 

 tiles. If he were, he would hardly speak so disrespectfully of 

 these batrachians. 



