554 APPENDIX. VI. 



scholar. Every year also now produces greater 

 and greater prodigies upon other instruments, 

 in point of execution. 



I have before observed, that by attending to 

 a nightingale, as well as a robin which was edu- 

 cated under him, I always found that the notes 

 reducible to our intervals of the octave were 

 precisely the same ; which is another proof that 

 birds sing always in the same key. 

 c In this circumstance, they differ much from 

 tbe human singer ; because they who are not 

 able to sing from tlie notes, often begin a song 

 either above or below the compass of their 

 voice, which they are not thei'efore able to go 

 through with. As birds, however, form the 

 sa;me passages with the same notes, at all times, 

 this mistake of the pitch can never happen in 

 tiiem. 



Few singers again can continue their own 

 part, whilst the same passages are sung by 

 another in a different key ; or if other passages 

 are played, though they may agree both in har- 

 mony and time. 



As birds, however, adhere so stedfastly to 

 the same precise notes in the same passages, 

 though they never trouble themselves about 

 what is called time or harmony in music; it 



