134 TREATISE ON 



teaching him to imitate other warblers : His song 

 is rich, full, melodious, melting, and tender; 

 it is very various, at one time having a deep me- 

 loncholy tone, broken with sprightly turns be- 

 tween ; then mellow and plaintive. The spring 

 and autumnal notes are diiFerent : In spring his me- 

 lody is rich, but quick, softly-melting, and dying 

 away in harmonious cadences; in autumn they 

 are plaintive, but still more rich and sweet, — as if 

 he sung the dirge of summer, or wailed the depart- 

 ing year. 



