214 THE NIGHTINGALE. 



such, for example, as conjugal endearments, or ou the occasion of finding 

 a delicate morsel, is a deep tack, which may be imitated by smacking the 

 tongue. 



In anger, jealousy, rivalry, or any extraordinary event, he utters hoarse 

 disagreeable sounds, somewhat like a jay or a cat. Lastly, in the season of 

 pairing, when the male and female entice and pursue each otlier, from the 

 top of a tree to its base, and thence again to the top, a gentle subdued 

 warbling is all that is heard. 



Nature has granted these tones to both sexes; but the male is particu- 

 larly endowed with so very striking a musical talent, that in this respect 

 he surpasses all birds, and has acquired the name of the king of songsters. 

 Tlie strength of his vocal organ is indeed wonderful ; and it has been found 

 that the muscles of his larynx are much more powerful than those of any 

 other bird. But it is less the strength than the compass, flexibihty, pro. 

 digious variety, and harmony of his voice which make it so admired by all 

 lovers of the beautiful. Sometimes dwelling for minutes on a strain com- 

 posed of only two or three melancholy tones, he begins in an under voice, 

 and swelling it gradually by the most superb crescendo to the highest point 

 of strength, he ends it by a dying cadence? or it consists of a rapid succes- 

 sion of more brilliant sounds, terminated, like many other strains of his 

 song, by some detached ascending notes. Twenty-four different strains or 

 couplets may be reckoned in the song of a fine nightingale, ^vithout in- 

 cluding its delicate little v.ariations ; for among these, as among other 

 musicians, there are some gr.eat performers and many middling ones. This 

 song is so articulate, so speaking, that it may be very well written. The 

 following is a trial which I have made on that of a nightingale in my 

 neighbourhood, which passes for a very capital singer* ; — 



Tiou, tiou^ tion, tiou. 



Spe, tiou, squa. 



Tio, tio, tio, tio, tio, tio, iio, tix. 



Coutio, coutio, cou/io, coutio. 



Squo, squ6, squo, squo. 



Tzu, tzu, izii, tzu, tzu, izu, tzu, izu, izu, tzi, 



Corror, tiou^ squa, pipiqui. 



Zozozozozozozozozozozozo, zirrhading ! 



Tsissisi, tsissisisisisisisis. 



Dzorre, dzorte, dzorre, dzorre, hi. 



Tzatu, tzatu, tzatu. tzatu, tzatu, tzatu, izatu, dzi. 



Dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo. 



Quio, tr rrrrrrrr itz. 



Lu, lu, lu, lu, ly, ly, ly, hj, Hi, lit^ Hi, litf. 



Quio, didl li lulylie. 



Hagurr, gurr quipio ! 



* English bird-catchers also express the phrases of the nightingale by words, Ol 

 particular names, sweei. Jug, sweet, pipe rattle, swetswat, stcaty, water bubble, skeg, 

 skeg, whitlow, whitlow, and the like. 



t I possess a nightingale which repeats these drawling melancholy notes often 

 thirty or even fifty times. Many pronounce gu, guy, gut, and others qu, quy, qui. 

 —Author. 



