THE MUSICAL SCALES OF THE THRUSHES. 
that we fail to appreciate the expressiveness of a more 
limited one. But there is a third and primitive mode com- 
mon to all folk-song, sometimes called the Scotch scale, 
which is perfectly represented by five of the ebonies of 
the piano. There is, however, considerable latitude in the 
Cg Nag a ag oie 
choice of five tones within the octave. Here is the scale: 
Pentatonic. Key Gh 
ome 
Here it is again in F, A minor, and G: 
The Pentatonie scale of the Nermit Thrush 
Three positions on the staff with but one signature 
Thus, by naively avoiding B flat in the key of F, and F 
sharp in the key of G the early musician could make the 
signature of the key of C answer for three additional keys, 
the third being A minor the so-called relative minor of the 
key of C. The result is significant, for one should remem- 
ber that these are primitive modes upon which has been 
based nearly all music whether it be of bird or man. Our 
musical ancestors therefore tuned their instruments ap- 
proximately to the key of C, and by adhering to a penta- 
tonic scale could palm off no end of tonal variety upon the 
not too discriminating primeval ear. 
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