SPEING. 61 



on to discribe no less than eight varieties of the song, 

 remarking that " the song of the chaffinch varies ahiiost as 

 much as tlie countries it inhabits." This last fact may be 

 observed here also. The song of the chaffinch is peculiar 

 and easily known ; but the difference between those of even 

 one country and another is more diflScult to describe ; it 

 is like the accent or tone by which people are discovered 

 to belong to a place, and is quickly observed by those accus- 

 tomed to notice the song of birds. I have observed this 

 difference of accent in the songs of other birds : the black- 

 bird and thrush, for instance, sing with a different tone 

 along the west coast of Scotland from what they do here ; 

 indeed, each thrush varies in his notes slightly from every 

 other, and it is quite possible to distinguish one individual 

 bird by his song from all the others even in the same gar- 

 den. The chaffinch, however, is not to be named as a song- 

 ster equal to these, or even to the robin, though its note is 

 merry and cheering from its association with spring ; it is 

 curious to hear them beginning to " record," as it as termed 

 by bird-fanciers. Every spring they seem to require several 

 rehearsals of their song before they can bring it out fully, 

 and occasionally one is heard which has never attained the 

 whole tune. The lark is not a garden bird, and therefore 

 its song cannot be included in the pleasures spring brings 

 within its bounds ; but it is impossible to think of that 

 season and its songs without recalling that 



" Bird of the wilderness 

 Bhthesome and cumberless," 



that favourite of all — peasant and poet alike welcoming 



