SILENCE IN THE FEMALE. 3?1 



The heart is hard in nature 



that is not pleas' d 



With sight of animals enjoying life, 



Nor feels their happiness augment his own. 



WOMEN are supposed to be more loquacious 

 than men, but in the case of the animal creation 

 this is not so, and we shall find that the distinction 

 has been made by a benevolent Creator for a good 

 and wise purpose. The female of almost all birds 

 is invariably silent or at least monotonous. If she 

 was tempted to sing during the progress of incu- 

 bation, or while rearing her young, her retreat 

 might be more readily discovered.* The cock- 

 bird on the contrary warbles sweetly from some 

 distant spot, cheering his partner by his well- 

 known notes, and teaching his young to learn his 

 delightful music. It is always pleasing to reflect 

 on the variety of ways Nature takes to preserve 

 the lives of her creatures, or to keep up a due 

 proportion of each. This is done in some cases 

 by a profusion of animal life, and in others by 

 an instillation of peculiar art, cunning, and circum- 



* Even if disturbed she steals off her nest in the most silent 

 way possible, and without uttering a single note either of alarm 

 or surprize. 



