SONGS. 303 



which is found not only in the more temperate latitudes, 

 but in Jamaica, and, we believe, other tropical locali- 

 ties. His song- is highly musical, and mounting; and 

 hovering on the wing, at a small height above ground, 

 he chaunts out a jingling melody of varied notes, as 

 if half a dozen birds were singing together. Some 

 idea may be formed of it, by striking the high keys 

 of a piano-forte singly arid quickly, making as many 

 contrasts as possible of high and low notes. Many 

 of the tones are delightful, but the ear can with 

 difficulty separate them. The general effect of the 

 whole is good ; and when ten or twelve are singing 

 on the same tree, the concert is singularly pleasing. 

 These examples we think conclusive against the 

 theory, that there are none or only inferior song-birds 

 in the forests of America*. 



We know less of the African birds, except those 

 of Egypt and the Cape of Good Hope ; but we have 

 the high authority of M. Vaillant, already quoted, for 

 the general fact, that they do sing well ; and another 

 distinguished French naturalist, M. Vieillot, has 

 written an entire and splendid work on the ' Sing- 

 ing Birds of the Tropics )-.' One of the African 

 birds (Emberiza paradisea) is well known from 

 'being frequently sent to Europe ; and though it can- 

 not vie with our nightingale and thrush, its warble 

 is delightful, resembling, in some degree, that of 

 our swallow, but more shrill and clear j. 



Since birds sing in a pitch so irregular and with 

 intervals so unsettled, exhibiting a total disregard to 

 measure or rhythm, we may well ask, what makes 

 their music pleasing ? The cause has been traced 



* See J. Rennie on American Song Birds, Mag. of Nat. 

 Hist. i. 414. 



f Hist. Nat. des Dis. Ois. Chanteurs de la Zone Torride, fol. 

 Paris, 1805. 



J J.R. 



