120 BIRDS AND MAN 



to trace to its source the pleasurable feelings which 

 the song of that bird produces in me and in many 

 others a charm exceeding that of many more 

 celebrated vocalists. In that chapter the song 

 of the willow wren was mentioned incidentally. 

 Now, these two wood wren and willow wren 

 albeit nearly related, are, in the character of their 

 notes, as widely different as it is possible for two 

 songsters to be ; and when we listen attentively 

 to both, we recognise that the feeling produced 

 in us differs in each case that it has a different 

 cause. In the case of the willow wren it might 

 be said off-hand that our pleasure is simply due 

 to the fact that it is a melodious sound, associated 

 in our minds with summer scenes. As much could 

 be said of any other migrant's song nightingale, 

 tree-pipit, blackcap, garden warbler, swallow, and 

 a dozen more. But it does not explain the in- 

 dividual and very special charm of this particular 

 bird what I have ventured to call the secret of 

 the willow wren. After all, it is not a deeply hidden 

 secret, and has indeed been half guessed or hinted 

 by various writers on bird melody ; and as it also 

 happens to be the secret of other singers besides 

 the willow wren, we may, I think, find in it an 

 explanation of the fact that the best singers do 



