ON THE SINGING OF BIRDS. 
intervals of the octave, that they must insist 
the ancients had organs of sensation, with which 
their degenerate posterity are totally unpro- 
vided. | 
Though we cannot attain the more delicate 
and imperceptible intervals in the song of birds,* 
yet many of them are capable of whistling tunes 
with our more gross intervals, as is well known | 
by the common instances of-piping bullfinches, f 
and Canary birds. 
This, however, arises from mere imitation of 
what they hear when taken early from the nest ; 
for if the instrument from which they learn it is 
out of tune, they as readily pipe the false, as 
the true notes of the composition. 
The next point of comparison to be made 
between our music and that of birds is, whether 
they always sing in the same pitch. 
This, however, I will not presume to answer 
with any precision, for the reason I have before 
suggested; I shall, however, without reserve, 
give the best conjectures I can form on this 
head. 
* There have been instances indeed of persons who could 
whistle the notes of birds, but these are too rare to be argued 
from. 
t+ These bullfinches also form a small article of commerce, 
and are chiefly brought from the neighborhood of Cologne. 
549 
