202 PASSERES. AMPELID^E. 



it is seldom that the bird is seen, it can scarcely 

 be said to be solitary, since it rarely sings alone, 

 but in harmony or concert with some half-dozen 

 others chanting in the same glen. Occasionally 

 it strikes out into such an adventitious combination 

 of notes, as to form a perfect tune. The time of 

 enunciating a single note, is that of the semi-breve. 

 The quaver is executed with the most perfect trill. 

 It regards the major and minor cadences, and ob- 

 serves the harmony of counter-point, with all the 

 preciseness of a perfect musician. Its melodies, 

 from the length and distinctness of each note, 

 are more hymns than songs. Though the concert 

 of singers will keep to the same melody for an 

 hour, each little coterie of birds chants a different 

 song, and the traveller by no accident ever hears 

 the same tune.' " In another letter he says, " Buf- 

 fon notices the Solitaire under the title of the 

 Organist. He thus speaks of it, ' In St. Domin- 

 go the name of Organist has been given to this 

 little bird, because, in ascending from grave to 

 sharp, it sounds all the tones of the octave. It 

 is not only very singular but very agreeable. Che- 

 valier Fabre Deshayes writes, that, in the southern 

 parts of St. Domingo in the high mountains, there 

 is a very rare but very celebrated bird, called the 

 Musician, whose song can be set down by notes. 

 The Musician of M. Deshayes, it is to be pre- 

 sumed, is the same with our Organist.* In M. 



* There is some confusion here. Our Solitaire has no resemblance to 

 " L'Organiste de St. Domingue," PI. Enl. 809, (Pipra musica of Gmel. 

 and Lath.) nor to u L'Euphone Organiste " of Vieillot (GaL Ois.) which is 



