MINOR SONGSTERS. 177 
least try the effect of a little originality. Some- 
thing like this seems to be the philosophy of the 
indigo-bird ; and he carries it out both in dress 
and in song. As we have said already, it is usual 
fer birds to reserve the loudest and most taking 
parts of their music for the close, though it may 
be doubted whether they have any intelligent 
purpose in so doing. Indeed, the apprehension 
of a great general truth such as lies at the basis 
of this well-nigh universal habit, — the truth, 
namely, that everything depends upon the im- 
pression finally left on the hearer’s mind ; that 
to end with some grand burst, or with some 
surprisingly lofty note, is the only, or to speak 
cautiously, the principal, requisite to a really 
great musical performance, — the intelligent 
grasp of such a truth as this, I say, seems to me 
to lie beyond the measure of a bird’s capacity 
in the present stage of his development. Be 
this as it may, however, it is noteworthy that 
the indigo-bird exactly reverses the common 
plan. He begins at his loudest and spright- 
liest, and then runs off into a diminuendo, which 
fades into silence almost imperceptibly. The 
strain will never be renowned for its’ beauty ; 
but it is unique, and, further, is continued well 
into August. Moreover, — and this adds grace 
to the most ordinary song, — it is often let fall 
while the bird is on the wing. 
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