50 OUR SUMMER MIGRANTS. 



reasons. The attempt has been made very often, 

 and mere verbiage can convey but a very faint 

 notion of its nature. It must be heard to be 

 appreciated. If I were asked the question, 

 "How am I to know the song when I hear 

 it?" I would reply, "Approach the bird as 

 slowly and as noiselessly as possible, until you 

 can see the individual singing." This is the 

 only way to learn the songs of birds. The note 

 of each species then becomes impressed upon 

 the memory, and can afterwards be detected 

 without hesitation when the bird is not in sight. 

 To acquire this knowledge, however, of the 

 songs of birds, one thing is necessary — an ear 

 for music. This, unfortunately, cannot be im- 

 parted by teaching ; and unless it exist as a gift 

 of nature, the delight of music can never be 

 experienced. There is this consolation, how- 

 ever, for those who are not musicians — they 

 cannot feel so much the loss of a pleasure 

 which they have never experienced. 



