38 SINGING-BIRDS. 



There are certain times of the day, as well as certain 

 seasons of the year, when birds are most musical. The 

 grand concert of the feathered tribe takes place during 

 the hour betwe^n dawn and sunrise. During the remain- 

 der of the day until evening they have no concerts. 

 Each individual sings according to its habits, but we do 

 not hear them collectively. At sunset there is an appar- 

 ent attempt to unite once more in chorus, but this is far 

 from being so loud or so general as in the morning, when 

 they suffer less disturbance from man. 



There are but few birds whose notes could be accu- 

 rately described upon the gamut. We seldom perceive 

 anything like artificial pauses or true musical intervals 

 in their time or melody. Yet they have no deficiency 

 of musical ear, for almost any singing-bird when young 

 may be taught to warble an artificial tune. Birds do not 

 dwell steadily upon one note at any time. They are 

 constantly sliding and quavering, and their songs are 

 full of pointed notes. There are some species whose 

 lays, like those of the Whippoorwill, resemble an arti- 

 ficial modulation, but these are rare. In general their 

 musical intervals cannot be accurately distinguished on 

 account of the rapidity of their utterance. I have often 

 endeavored to transcribe their notes upon the gamut, but 

 have not yet been able to communicate to any person 

 by this means a correct idea of the song, except in a 

 few extraordinary cases. Such attempts are almost use- 

 less. 



Different individuals of certain species often sing very 

 unlike each other ; but if we listen attentively to a num- 

 ber of them, we shall detect in all their songs a theme, 

 as it is termed by musicians, of which they severally 

 warble their respective variations. Every song of any 

 species is, technically speaking, a fantasia constructed 

 upon this theme, from which, though they may greatly 



