Notes of Birds. 315 
swallow and blackbird: this, however, must 
be entirely imaginary, asit is totally different 
from them in manner and notes: if it be pos- 
sible to trace any similarity between them, it 
will be found to consist in tone merely. The 
song of the sedge warbler is wonderfully varied, 
and appears to be chiefly composed of passa- 
ges borrowed from the songs of the skylark, 
titlark, white-throat, whinchat, lesser redpole, 
swallow, &c.. Now if any bird is entitled to 
the epithet of mocker, surely it is this: yet 
these resemblances are common to the songs 
of the whole species, which inhabit situa- 
tions very unsuitable for acquiring some of 
them. In short, these fancied imitations are 
not studied, but purely accidental, consisting 
of their own notes ab origine. 
The singing of birds has been very gene- 
rally attributed to the passion of love, and a 
desire of pleasing their mates. 
‘¢ *Tis love creates their melody, and all 
This waste of music is the voice of love; 
That even to birds, and beasts the tender arts 
Of pleasing teaches.’’* 
Thus the great poet of nature elegantly ex- 
presses theidea. This opinion, however, does 
not appear to be well founded : their language 
of love, their amorous strains, consist of low 
intermitted tones, accompanied with ridiculous 
*Thomson’s Seasons, Spring. 
