-^ The Voices of the Wilderness 



that I ever heard in Africa. Tliat our nightingale also 

 sometimes breeds there is indicated by the discovery of 

 its nest by the late Dr. F'ischer. But the problem of 

 the extraordinary identity in character of this nightingale 

 with its northern sister still awaits solution. Many 

 difficult observations will have to be made in order to 

 investigate it thoroughly. 



What a contrast to this song of our northern 

 nightingale is presented by the voices of the hyenas 

 and jackals, the strange cry uttered by the leopard, all 

 the sounds emitted by the antelopes, and finally the 

 indescribably startling, harsh-sounding bellow of the 

 crocodile ! 



But neither individually nor collectively can the effect 

 of all these voices be expressed in words. They associate 

 themselves with the forms of a flora untouched by the 

 hand of man, and the unceasing throb of animal life. I 

 think of them all together as a theatre of nature now 

 flooded with sunlight, now in the mysterious darkness of 

 night, or with glistening moonbeams playing over it. 

 What impresses one so much is not merely these individual 

 voices, but the way in which all the myriad voices 

 mingle in one mighty chorus. 



If this symphony of nature is to be written down, it 

 must be by some master who will combine in one 

 marvellous melody these musical utterances that are so 

 mighty and impressive, so full of mystery and charm, 

 and so often dying away in the deepest and most delicate 

 cadences. None of these tones should be missing, no' 

 note of them all should be struck out. 



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