BLACKBIRDS, NIGHTINGALES, ETC. 309 



But, here, the audience were themselves fairies, so that 

 it was all in proportion. Besides, the war was but of 

 words, and, in these, we see how the prettiness of being 

 fairies prevails, even over the relationship in which the 

 two stood to each other. So it was with these warriors ; 

 they were rivals, and stuffed full of dislike, nay hatred, 

 but, also, they were birds — and nightingales. 



Jealousy, however, did not seem to blind them to the 

 merit of each other's performance. Though, often, one, 

 upon hearing the sweet, hostile strains, would burst 

 forth instantly itself — and here there was no certain 

 mark of appreciation — yet sometimes, perhaps quite 

 as often, it would put its head on one side and listen 

 with exactly the appearance of a musical connoisseur 

 weighing, testing, and appraising each note as it issued 

 from the rival bill. A curious, half-surprised expression 

 would steal, or seem to steal (for fancy may play her 

 part in such matters) over the listening bird, and the idea 

 appeared to be, " How exquisite would be those strains, 



were they not sung by , and yet, I must admit 



that they are exquisite." Sometimes, however, there 

 would be no special response on the part of the one 

 bird, either by voice or attitude, whilst the other was 

 singing. During these musical combats I often saw a 

 third and silent bird, hopping with demure, modest look 

 — by virtue of which it seemed rather to creep than 

 to hop — ^just within, or just on the outside of, this or 

 that briery bower. This I took to be the female, 

 and, thinking so, it was easy to detect a little side- 

 glance thrown, now and again, towards one or another 

 of the rival suitors, in which seemed expressed the 

 thought of a pretty, little bird (but a lady-bird) — 

 Bunthorne — 



