320 Observations on the 
It would be difficult, nay impossible, to 
convey a distinct idea of the songs of these 
birds by any verbal description: indeed, the 
delightful associations they excite, with the 
adventitious circumstances of time, distance, 
situation, &c., so greatly influence their ef- 
fect, that even the best imitations_are utterly 
inadequate to produce any thing equal to it, 
Mr. Barrington, in his essay, has attempted 
to construct a table, by which the compara- 
tive merits of British singing birds may be 
examined; but as he does not appear to have 
formed a correct estimate of the songs of 
some species, and as his table is inaccurate 
in other respects, besides being too limited, 
I have endeavoured to supply one that will 
be more comprehensive, and, [ trust, less 
objectionable ; making, as he has done, the 
number 20 the point of absolute perfection. 
