ON THE SINGING OF. BIRDS. 
follows that a composition may be formed. for 
two piping bulfinches, in two parts, so as to 
constitute true harmony, though either of the 
birds may happen to begin, or stop, when they 
please. 
I have therefore tonsa such an ingenious 
composition, by a very able musician,* which I 
send herewith; and it need scarcely be ob- 
served, that there cannot possibly be much 
variety in the part of the second bulfinch. 
Though several birds have great musical 
powers, yet they seem to have no delicacy of 
sensations, as the human singer hath; and 
therefore the very best of them cannot. be 
taught to exceed the insipidity of the upper 
part of the flute stop of an organ,} which hath 
not the modern improvement of a swell. 
They are easily imposed upon by that most 
imperfect of all instruments, a bird-call, which 
* Mr. Zeidler, who plays the violincello at Covent Garden 
theatre. 
+ Lord Bacon mentions, that in the instrument called a 
vegall (which was a species of portable organ) there was a nighé- 
angale stop, in which water was made use of to produce the 
stronger imitation of this bird’s tone. See Cent. II. exper. 172. 
Though this instrument, as well as its nightingale stop, is now 
disused, I have procured an organ pipe to be immersed partly in 
water, which, when blown into, hath preduced a tone very 
similar to that of birds. 
Q9AQY 
