10 INTRODUCTION. 



SONG OF BIRDS. 



Different species of birds are able to communicate with each 

 other through their own peculiar notes. A bird utters cries of 

 joy or alarm, and is able to express its desires not only to its 

 own, but to the opposite sex. The song of birds is always the ex- 

 pression of love or pleasure. The nightingale sings only while 

 paring or hatching time lasts, and is silent when compelled 

 to feed its young. The Canary, starling, and goldfinch, sing 

 all the year round, save when moulting dejects them. The 

 male bird is the best singer, and uses his song to attract the 

 attention, or win the love, of the female. The female listens 

 attentively, and, as a rule, seeks for her companion the most 

 accomplished singer. The most sprightly hen Canary selects 

 the best singer, and the chaffinch will choose from a hundred 

 males the one which pleases her best. A bird is said to war- 

 ble or quaver when it repeats the strophes, or solitary notes of 

 its song, in the same order of succession, as the nightingale or 

 chaffinch. Birds sing when, without regard to any particular 

 order, they carol out their twittering or chirping notes, inter- 

 mixed with louder ones ; they pipe when their song consists 

 of distinct, round, flute-like tones. The reason why one bird 

 sings stronger and better than another is to be deduced from 

 the relative size of the larynx. Females do not usually stag, 

 because their larynx is not so powerful as that of the male. 

 The nightingale has the most muscular larynx of all singing 

 birds. "All the notes," says Syme, "comprised in the song 

 of birds convey delight to the lover of nature ; but the bird- 

 fancier only prizes their love- warble and notes of defiance. 

 These notes, and these only, he considers to be their song." 



