134 BIRDS AND MAN 



case of the tree-pipit, of another character. And 

 even those species that are furthest removed from 

 us in the character of the sounds they emit have 

 some notes that suggest a highly brightened 

 human voice. Witness the throstle and nightin- 

 gale. The last approaches to the human voice in 

 that rich, musical throb, repeated many times 

 with passion, which is the invariable prelude to 

 his song ; and again, in that " one low piping 

 note, more sweet than all," four times repeated 

 in a wonderfully beautiful crescendo. Who 

 that ever hstened to Carlotta Patti does not 

 remember sounds like these from her lips? It 

 was commonly said of her that her voice was 

 bird-like ; certainly it was clarified and brightened 

 beyond other voices — in some of her notes almost 

 beyond recognition as a human voice. It was a 

 voice that had a great deal of the quality of 

 gladness in it, but less depth of human passion 

 than other great singers. Still, it was a human 

 voice ; and, just as Carlotta Patti (outshining 

 the best of her sister-singers even as the diamond 

 outsparkles all other gems) rose to the birds in 

 her miraculous flights, so do some of the birds 

 come down to and resemble us in their songs. 



