BIRD MUSIC IN SOUTH AMERICA 151 



the sub-order Oscines, which have the developed 

 vocal organ number about twelve hundred spe- 

 cies: a big fact when it is remembered that of 

 the five hundred species of birds in Europe, only 

 two hundred and five at the most are classed as 

 songsters, inclusive of fly-catchers, corvine birds 

 and many others which have no melody. 



It is clear then, from these facts and figures, 

 that South America is not wanting in songsters, 

 that, on the contrary, it surpasses all other re- 

 gions of the globe of equal extent in number of 

 species. 



It only remains to say something on another 

 matter namely, the character and value of the 

 music. And here the reader might think that I 

 have got myself into a quandary, since I began 

 by complaining of the unworthy opinion expressed 

 by European writers of the melodists of my coun- 

 try, and at the same time disclaimed any inten- 

 tion of attempting to describe their melody my- 

 self, comparing it with that of England. For- 

 tunately for my purpose, not all the travelers in 

 South America, whose words carry weight, have 

 turned a deaf or unappreciative ear to the bird 

 music of the great bird continent : there are not- 

 able exceptions; from these I shall proceed to 

 quote a few passages in support of my contention, 

 beginning with Felix de Azara, a contemporary 

 of Buffon, and concluding with the two most illus- 

 trious travelers of our own day who have visited 

 South America Wallace and Bates. 



