THE INVITATION. 241 



science. His chapter on the wild goose is as good as 

 a poem. One readily overlooks his style, which is 

 often verbose and affected, in consideration of enthu- 

 siasm so genuine and purpose so single. 



There has never been a keener eye than Audu- 

 bon's, though there have been more discriminative 

 ears. Nuttall, for instance, is far more happy in hia 

 descriptions of the songs and notes of birds, and more 

 to be relied upon. Audubon thinks the song of the 

 Louisiana water-thrush equal to that of the European 

 nightingale, and, as he had heard both birds, one 

 would think was prepared to judge. Yet he has, no 

 doubt, overrated the one and underrated the other 

 The song of the water-thrush is very brief, compared 

 with the philomePs, and its quality is brightness and 

 vivacity, while that of the latter bird, if the books 

 are to be credited, is melody and harmony. Again, 

 he says the song of the blue grossbeak resembles th 

 bobolink's, which it does about as much as the color 

 of the two birds resembles each other ; one is black 

 and white and the other is blue. The song of the 

 wood-wagtail, he says, consists of a " short succes- 

 sion of simple notes beginning with emphasis and 

 gradually falling." The truth is they run up the 

 scale instead of down ; beginning low and ending in 

 a shriek 



Yet considering the extent of Audubon's work, the 

 wonder is the errors are so few. I can, at this mo- 

 ment, recall but one observation of his, the contrary 

 of which I have proved to be true. In his account 

 16 



