14 OUR IRISH SONG BIRDS. 



reasons why the gift of song has been bestowed upon 

 the male, is doubtless that he may cheer and enliven 

 the female during her lonely task ; but it is also a note 

 of security, for it suddenly ceases if danger be near, and 

 then the poor female bird cowers low in mute terror, to 

 shield herself and her only treasure from the foe. 



Have pity, then, compassionate Christian, and pass 

 quietly on, nor make desolate that sweet and pleasant 

 home ; and of thy charity, in the winter time, spare those 

 innocent creatures a crumb of bread and a drop of 

 water, for this last they need, as much as food and 

 shelter, when the ground is fast bound with frost. 



Some time ago we were visited in Dublin by an 

 individual who described himself as " The Bird-man," 

 and who gave vocal imitations of many of our well- 

 known songsters. I thought that some of his imitations 

 were really admirable, in particular of the songs of the 

 Chaffinch, the Canary, the Thrush, and the Nightingale, 

 whilst his "conversation between two Sparrows" elicited 

 well-deserved laughter and applause. He thus accounted 

 for his skill. His father, who was in the habit of rearing 

 wild birds, had once gone from home, leaving a bag of 

 rice for his children, and a quantity of bird-seed for his 

 feathered friends. By some mistake the rice was given 

 to the birds, and the bird-seed to the children. The 

 consequence was that, on his return, he found all his 

 birds dead, and his children singing like piping Bull- 

 finches ! ! 



No doubt, some birds may be imitated with tolerable 

 success ; there are others which defy all our powers. I 

 do not believe that the man has ever yet lived who 

 could imitate satisfactorily the song of the Corn-bunting; 

 and there are many others equally impracticable. 



