AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 193 



the Louisiana Waterthrush, but differs in introducing a new element, a 

 strong suggestion of religious love. 



Bassoon. — The comic nasalizations of the bassoon and the ridiculous 

 "twangs,' of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. This bird seems subject to 

 humours; one minute all is fun, and he dances about like a clown, the 

 next his ill temper asserts itself and the harsh, grating sounds he pro- 

 duces bruits this abroad. So with the volatile bassoon, a true instru- 

 ment of mood. 



Flute. — The clear note of the flute finds among the birds an excel- 

 lent representative in the pipings of the Baltimore Oriole in the tree- 

 tops. 



Piccolo. — It we consider the real purpose of this instrument,— to set 

 off, give point and life to the dryly disposed score,— we will find it 

 difficult to find an avian representative. Perhaps the feverish brilliancy 

 of the Spotted Sandpiper's whistle would answer best. 



Trombone. — Surely the garrulous cries of the Crow suggest the 

 noisy, pompous blasts of the trombone. They are similar in another 

 respect, just as the crow breaks in with his lusty shout when we are in- 

 tent on hearing a repetition of a distant song or the lisping of the War- 

 blers, so the trombone, loud and coarsely triumphant breaks out on 

 the tenderest melody. 



Cornet.— The tenor screams of the Blue Jay and the shrill blasts of 

 the cornet are similar as bird and instrument can be. The Jay is un- 

 disputed 1st cornetist of the "Birds' Orchestra." 



French Horn.— The uncouth monosyllables of the Chat finds a 

 counterpart in the baleful notes of the French horn, but exceed that in- 

 strument in variety of reach and kind of tone. 



Harp. — The mystical, silvery scales which the Veery performs inti- 

 mately suggest the vibrant, uncertain strains of the harp. 



Tympani.— We have two very different, yet almost equally good 

 tympanists among the birds, the Cuckoos and the Woodpeckers. Com- 

 bine the full, round, pebbly notes which the Cuckoo drops from his 

 throat, with the vigorous, but dull and muffled tattoo which the Wood- 

 pecker beats, and an excellent imitation of the kettle drum's roll is pro- 

 duced. 



Cymbals. — Perhaps the best substitution — though a poor one — for, 

 the cymbals, which our bird orchestra can put forth is the Kingbird, 

 whose harsh, jarring, jingling calls bear some resemblance to the ratt- 

 ling antithesis the cymbals afford in the orchestra. 



And the Director of this motley crowd of minstrels? He is none 

 other than the Almighty Creator, the Divine Impulse. 



