APPENDIX. 223 



" The two birds which really, upon the whole, are the best songsters 

 which build in my garden, where they exist in large numbers, are the 

 song thrush (Turdus musicus), and the blackbird (Tardus merula). 



" The song thrush sings from November till August. It is one of our 

 most joyous songsters, beginning to sing early in the morning and con- 

 tinuing till late at night. The poet Browning, speaking of this bird, 

 says : — 



' The wise thrush 



sings each song twice over, 



Lest you should thiuk he never could recapture 

 The first fine careless rapture.' 



" The blackbird has a far softer and more melodious note than the 

 thrush ; but the note of the latter bird is more powerful, and his song 

 more constant. Together they form a delightful harmony, but they 

 more commonly sing alone than together. This country would be shorn 

 of half its pleasure if we were deprived of the notes of the thrush and 

 the blackbird. 



" Although birds delight us with their song, yet in my intercourse with 

 musical men I have found but few that have the power of recording 

 their notes. I therefore requested my brother, Mr. F. Smee, to visit my 

 garden and endeavor to take down the notes of the birds as they sang. 

 He reported that some of their musical phrases were in the minor key, 

 and I have printed several of the strophes as they were sung." — Smee, 

 Alfred : My Garden, pp. 550-553. 



