WOOD NOTES WILD. 7 



one being G, and the key of the other being D, a fifth 

 above G, what could have been more natural than for 

 these two voices to unite, either on D or G, or both, and 

 to vibrate into one ? This accomplished, the bondage of 

 monotony and chaos was broken forever, and progress 

 assured ; the first strain of the marvellous harmony of the 

 future was sounded, the song of the birds was begun. 

 One can almost hear those rude, rising geniuses exercising 

 their voices with increased fervor, vibrating from one to 

 five and five to one of the scale, — pushing on up the glad 

 way of liberty and melody. With each vibration from 

 one to five and from five to one, the leading tone of the 

 scale, the other member of the common chord, which so 

 affinitizes with one and five, was passed over. The next 

 step was to insert this tone, which being done, the em- 

 ployment of the remaining tones was simply a matter of 

 time. So it was, to my notion, that the birds learned to 

 sing. 



To say that the music of the birds is similar in struc- 

 ture to our own, is not to say that they use no intervals 

 less than our least. They do this, and I am well aware 

 that not all of their music can be written. Many of 

 their rhythmical and melodic performances are difficult 

 of comprehension, to say nothing of committing them 

 to paper. The song of the bobolink is an instance in 

 point. Indeed, one cannot listen to any singing-bird 

 without hearing something inimitable and indescribable. 

 Who shall attempt a description of the tremolo in the 

 song of the meadow lark, the graceful shading and sliding 

 of the tones of the thrushes ? But these ornaments, be 



