

SONGS. 297 



dubious, Buffon has constructed thereupon one of 

 his singular theories, which has now become esta- 

 blished as part of the popular and the poetical creed. 

 " Sweetness of voice," says he, " and melody of 

 song are qualities, which in birds are partly natu- 

 ral, partly acquired. Their great facility in catching 

 and repeating sounds enables them not only to 

 borrow from each other, but often to copy the 

 inflexions and tones of the human voice, and of our 

 musical instruments. Is it not singular, that in all 

 populous and civilized countries, most of the birds 

 chant delightful airs, while in the extensive deserts of 

 Africa and America, inhabited by roving savages, 

 the winged tribes utter only harsh and discordant 

 cries, and but a few species have any claim to me- 

 lody? Must this difference be imputed to the 

 difference of climate alone ? The extremes of cold 

 and heat operate, indeed, great changes on the nature 

 of animals, and often form externally permanent 

 characters and vivid colours. The quadrupeds, of 

 which the garb is variegated, spotted, or striped, such 

 as the panthers, the leopards, the zebras, and the 

 civets, are all natives of the hottest climates. All 

 the birds of the tropical regions sparkle with the 

 most glowing tints, while those of the temperate 

 countries are stained with lighter and softer shades. 

 Of the three hundred species, that may be reckoned 

 belonging to our climates, the peacock, the common 

 cock, the golden oriole, the king-fisher, and the gold- 

 finch, only can be celebrated for the variety of their 

 colours ; but nature would seem to have exhausted 

 all the rich hues of the universe on the plumage of 

 the birds of America, of Africa, and of India. 

 These quadrupeds, clothed in the most splendid 

 robes, these birds, attired in the richest plumage, 

 utter at the same time coarse, grating, or even terrible 

 cries. Climate has, no doubt, a principal share in 



