Proceedings. 81. 
decidedly inferior to that of any of the species included in the 
Ist class; it is pretty well known, as the bird is often kept in 
cages. The Tree-Pipit has a pleasing and rather varied song; 
some of the notes are decidedly sweet and approach to those of 
the Canary. The Swallow’s soit twittering song is generally 
well known, and affords delight to most people, though it can 
hardly be called very musical. The Whitethroat’s song bears a 
family resemblance to that of the Blackcap, to which species 
the bird is very nearly related ; some notes are very similar, 
but there are many harsh or rather poor notes, and the song is 
uttered in a rather jerky or spasmodic manner. The Robin’s 
song is of course very well known, rather plaintive, and some- 
what feeble; it is, however, distinctly sweet, and if more 
connected and continuous would rank higher. The Wren has 
a strong, cheerful song very rapidly uttered, but without much 
variety. The Sedge-Warbler, on the other hand, has plenty of 
variety, but many harsh babbling and grating notes. ‘This 
species often sings in the night. The Hedge-Sparrow’s song, 
though rather sweet, has no variety ; it is sung very rapidly ; at 
a little distance, when only the more pronounced notes are 
heard, they sound much like the loud chirp of the Cole-Tit. 
The Greenfinch has a good deal of variety of voice and has 
several different series of trilling notes, but does not often use 
more than one or two of these sets connectedly ; when it 
employs several of the series they form what may be called a 
song; they are, however, not very musical ; if they possessed 
a little more quality the bird would make a fine songster. In 
class 3the Willow-Wren’s song, from its softness of tone, is one 
that it is always delightful to listen to ; it consists merely of a 
series of about ten notes in adescending scale. The Chaffinch’s 
song must be well known to almost every one, and is incessantly 
uttered. It may have been this species that Tennyson had in 
his mind when he wrote : 
« Then as a little helpless innocent bird, 
That has but one plain passage of few notes, 
Will sing the simple passage o’er and o’er 
For all an April morning, till the ear 
Wearies to hear it.” 
