80 



MERULIDJE. 



the Nightingale, it rings through the woods a month at 

 least before the foreign minstrel has arrived, and retains 

 its brilliancy for an equal period after the autumn voice of 

 that songster has degenerated into a croak. However near 

 it may be, it is never harsh, and heard at a distance its 

 only defect is, that it is not nearer. It possesses, too, the 

 charm of harmonising with all other pleasant natural 

 sounds. If to these recommendations we add that the 



THE SONG THRUSH. 



Thrush frequents all parts of England, and resorts to the 

 suburban garden as well as the forest and rocky glen, we 

 think we may justly claim for it the distinction among 

 birds, of being the last that we would willingly part 

 with, not even excepting its allowed master in song 

 himself, the Nightingale.* 



* Though I cannot pretend to trace much similarity between the 

 songs of certain birds and the combinations of letters by which some 



