158 MEMORIAL TRIBUTE 



banishing care and sorrow. The bird has evidently 

 learned his part by long practice, for he sings sedately 

 and in the full consciousness of superiority. Ceasing at 

 intervals, he renews the strain, varying it so that although 

 you can trace an occasional repetition of notes, the staves 

 are precisely the same. You may sit an hour or longer, 

 and yet the song will be continued ; and in the neigh- 

 bouring gardens many rival songsters will sometimes 

 raise their voices at once, or delight you with alternate 

 strains. And now, what is the purpose of all this melody ? 

 We can only conjecture that it is the expression of the 

 perfect happiness which the creature is enjoying, when, 

 uncarked by care, conscious of security, and aware of 

 the presence of his mate, he instinctively pours forth 

 his soul in joy and gratitude and love. He does not 

 sing to amuse his mate, as many have supposed, for he 

 often sings in winter, when he is not yet mated ; nor 

 does he sing to beguile his solitude, for now he is not 

 solitary ; but he sings because all his wants are satisfied, 

 his whole frame glowing with health, and because his 

 Maker has gifted him with the power of uttering sweet 

 sounds. British Birds, vol. ii. pp. 89, 90. 



13. THE SONG OF THE THRUSH. 



The song thrush is associated in my memory with 

 the Hebrides, where it is perhaps more abundant than 

 in most parts of Britain. There, in the calm summer 

 evening, such as for placid beauty far exceeds any that 



