6 INTRODUCTION. 



the feathered tribe. Again, the birds which are to learn a song 

 not natural to them, must be taken from the nest before they 

 have even learned to chirp ; and if thus brought up to the food 

 and the temperature of the aviary, would be able neither to 

 sustain life, nor to migrate in winter. And thirdly, if such 

 birds were hatched by cage-birds Canaries for instance they 

 would become accustomed to the food of the aviary, but when 

 winter came, would be entirely ignorant of the cry of their 

 wilder comrades; could not migrate with them; and must there- 

 fore perish of hunger. The only means of accomplishing the 

 proposed object, which seems to me feasible, would be to take 

 trained birds, of such species as frequent our orchards and 

 gardens, Larks, Finches, &c. and hang them in cages near the 

 spot where others had built. Then the nestlings which hap- 

 pened to possess a good memory, would be able to recollect the 

 improved song of the trained birds, as well as that which they 

 acquired from their parents. Whether the attempt to improve 

 the natural melody of our woods and gardens, be advisable, 

 may I think be questioned. It is sufficient to keep birds of 

 curious or peculiarly beautiful song in the aviary, and thus to 

 derive pleasure from their strains. 



ADDITIONAL REMARKS. " The melody of birds," says BRO- 

 DERIP, in his Zoological Recreations, " finds its way to the heart 

 of every one ; but the cause that prompts the outpourings that 

 make copse, rock, and river, ring again on a fine spring morning, 

 is more a matter of doubt with ornithologists, than the uninitiated 

 in zoological mysteries might suppose. Much has been written on 

 this subject, and upon a consideration of the different opinions, 

 aided by our own observations, we are inclined to think that love 

 and rivalry are the two great stimulants, though we do not mean 

 to deny that a bird may sing from mere gaiety of heart, arising 

 from finding itself in the haunts dear to it, and in the midst of 

 plenty of the food it likes. 



" In this country, the season of reproduction is undoubtedly 

 that wherein 



' The isle is full of pleasant noises, 

 Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight ;' 



and about ten weeks have been mentioned as the period during 

 which most of our wild birds are in song. That there are ex- 

 ceptions to this rule, there is no doubt. We have heard a wild 

 Thrush, one of the sweetest singers of his tribe, sing far into 

 September, but we watched narrowly, and never could find that 



