THEIE LIMITS AND THEIR FALLACIES. 319 



appreciation of sound as music, the latter. An attempt will 

 be made to explain in what nmsic consists by and by. In 

 all that relates to appreciation of common noise, man is very- 

 poorly endowed by comparison with many animals; but in 

 the faculty of appreciating and enjoying music he seems pre- 

 eminent. Seems, I say, for one must speak guardedly. How 

 do we know whether the nightingale, the canary, and other 

 feathered songsters of the air, may not have as keen a relish 

 for the melodies of themselves and neighbours, as we for the 

 strains of ourselves and our vocal and instrumental favourites ? 



Singing birds, however, have not risen to harmony. Coun- 

 terpoint must be shibboleth to them ; and though many have 

 a limited power of learning new strains (I have even heard 

 two bullfinches whistle first and second in a duet), they can- 

 not invent. The most curious fact about bird-music is, that 

 although different species sing together in the woods, until, on 

 a summer day, the whole air is tremulous with bird-music, 

 and although each singing bird warbles in a different key, 

 no discord to human ear is perceptible. 



This is a very curious matter one that musicians well 

 know how to appreciate. Shall we affirm that singing birds 

 have very fine musical ears! or shall we put their extreme 

 accuracy down to instinct *? Certain it is, explain it as we 

 may, they never sing out of tune. ' Ces petits coquins, Us 

 chantent si juste,'' said poor Madame Pasta to a visitor who 

 was listening to her canaries. Whether any animals can like 

 I will not say appreciate music, as we understand music 

 to be, is debatable. The belief has gained currency in many 

 parts of the world, that snakes show this partiality. I do not 

 know what to say about it from my own experience, but my 

 wife holds to the belief. We generally have pet snakes ; and 

 my informant protests that they come near to the piano when 

 she is playing. The main ground of her faith, however, con- 

 sists in this, viz. a certain pet snake that had escaped, and 

 hid himself some days, was found at last nestled in the piano, 



