184 VOICES OF BIRDS. 



brings matured fruits, chilly airs, and sober hours, and 

 he, the lonely minstrel now that sings, is understood by 

 all. These four birds thus indicate a separate season, 

 have no interference with the intelligence of the other, 

 nor could they be transposed without the loss of all the 

 meaning they convey, which no contrivance of art could, 

 supply ; and, by long association, they have become 

 identified with the period, and in peculiar accordance 

 with the time. 



We note birds in general more from their voices than 

 their plumage ; for the carols of spring may be heard 

 involuntarily, but to observe the form and decoration 

 of these creatures, requires an attention not always 

 given. Yet we have some native birds beautifully and 

 conspicuously feathered ; the goldfinch, the chaffinch, 

 the wagtails, are all eminently adorned, and the fine 

 gradations of sober browns in several others are very 

 pleasing. Those sweet sounds, called the song of birds, 

 proceed only from the male ; and, with a few excep- 

 tions, only during the season of incubation. Hence the 

 comparative quietness of our summer months, when 

 this care is over, except from accidental causes, where 

 a second nest is formed ; few of our birds bringing up 

 more than one brood in the season. The redbreast, 

 blackbird, and thrush, in mild winters will continu- 

 ally be heard, and form exceptions to the general 

 procedure of our British birds ; and we have one little 

 bird, the woodlark (alunda arborea), that in the early 

 parts of the autumnal months delights us with its har- 

 mony, and its carols may be heard in the air commonly 

 during the calm sunny mornings of this season. They 

 have a softness and quietness perfectly in unison with 

 thd sober, almost melancholy, stillness of the hour. 

 The skylark* also sings now, arid its song is very sweet, 

 full of harmony, cheerful as the blue sky and gladden- 

 ing beam in which it circles and sports, and known and 

 admired by all ; but the voice of the woodlark is local, 

 not so generally heard, from its softness must almost be 

 listened for, to be distinguished, and has not any pre- 

 tensions to the hilarity of the former. This little bird 

 sings likewise in the spring; but, at that season, tho 



* See note Y, appendix. 



