APPENDIX. 171 
Sicns From BIrps. 
Dr. Jenner (Roy. Soc. of London. Phil. Trans., vol. cxiv. 
part i. pp. 11-14) notes the “beautiful propriety in the order 
in which singing-birds fill up the day with their pleasing har- 
mony. The accordance between their songs, and the aspect 
of Nature at the successive periods of the day at which they 
sing, is so remarkable that we cannot but suppose it to be 
the result of benevolent design.” 
This idea, beautiful as that of Marvell in his dial of flowers, 
takes us as far, perhaps, as we are warranted in going; never- 
theless, men have found from time immemorial an accordance 
reaching much wider, — have found a design, benevolent or 
maleficent, working through the song and flight and presence 
of birds at important, decisive periods of life. 
See article ‘‘ Augurs” in Ency. Brit., vol. iii. p. 64 (Am. ed.).— 
Brand, J.: Popular Antiquities (rev. ed., 1877), pp. 686-702. — “ Bird- 
Lore.” (All the Year Round, n. 8. vol. xx., May 11, 1878, pp. 365-370.) — 
Forbes, Maj. J.: Gaulama or Demon-bird. (Zn his Eleven Years in Cey- 
lon, vol. i, London, 1840, pp. 353-354.) 
Last Days oF THE AUTHOR. 
Though biographical matter is not a part of this volume, 
it seems proper, for the sake of the author’s many friends in 
New England, to add in this connection a word concerning 
his last days; especially since the word comes from his widow, 
Mrs. Julia C. Cheney, who, by reason of her intelligence and 
affection, rendered him great service during his life and work 
in Massachusetts : — 
“On Thursday, May 1, my dear husband was summoned 
to Boston to reduce to manuscript from the phonograph some 
Indian songs collected by the Boston Society of Natural His- 
tory. Previous visits for the same purpose had greatly inter- 
ested him in the work, and he left home anticipating a day 
of pleasing labor. On Friday, the 2d, he returned, ill from 
