124 ENGLISH AND AMERICAN SONG-BIRDS. 



our robin inferior in power to the missal thrush, in 

 variety to the mavis, and in melody to the blackbird. 

 Robin did not and could not sing to his ears the song 

 he sings to ours. Then it is very likely true that his 

 Grace did not hear the robin in the most opportune 

 moment and season, or when the contrast of his song 

 with the general silence and desolation of nature is 

 the most striking and impressive. The nightingale 

 needs to be heard at night, the lark at dawn rising to 

 meet the sun ; and robin, if you would know the magic 

 of his voice, should be heard in early spring, when, as 

 the sun is setting, he carols steadily for ten or fifteen 

 minutes, from the top of some near tree. There is 

 perhaps no other sound in nature ; patches of snow 

 linger here and there ; the trees are naked and the 

 earth is cold and dead, and this contented, hopeful, 

 reassuring, and withal musical strain, poured out so 

 freely and deliberately, fills the void with the very 

 breath and presence of the spring. It is a simple 

 strain, well suited to the early season ; there are no 

 intricacies in it, but its honest cheer and directness, 

 with its slight plaintive tinge, like that of the sun 

 gilding the tree-tops, go straight to the heart. The 

 compass and variety of the robin's powers .are not to 

 be despised either. A German who has great skill 

 in the musical education of birds told me what I was 

 surprised to hear, namely, that our robin surpasses 

 the European blackbird in capabilities of voice. 



The Duke does not mention by name all the birds 

 he heard while in this country. He was evidently 



