BIRD-SONGS. 47 



would be no more telling them by their notes. 

 Thrushes and jays, wrens and chickadees, 

 finches and warblers, all would be singing one 

 grand medley. 



Between these two opposing tendencies, one 

 urging to variation, the other to permanence 

 (for Nature herself is half radical, half con- 

 servative), the language of birds has grown 

 from rude beginnings to its present beautiful 

 diversity ; and whoever lives a century of mil- 

 lenniums hence will listen to music such as we 

 in this day can only dream of. Inappreciably 

 but ceaselessly the work goes on. Here and 

 there is born a master-singer, a feathered gen- 

 ius, and every generation makes its own addi- 

 tion to the glorious inheritance. 



It may be doubted whether there is any real 

 connection between moral character and the 

 possession of wings. Nevertheless there has 

 long been a popular feeling that some such con- 

 gruity does exist ; and certainly it seems unrea- 

 sonable to suppose that creatures who are able 

 to soar at will into the heavens should be with- 

 out other equally angelic attributes. But, be 

 that as it may, our friends, the birds, do un- 

 deniably set us a good example in several re- 

 spects. To mention only one, how becoming is 

 their observance of morning and evening song ! 

 In spite of their industrious spirit (and few of 



