rapid, that he cannot well ascertain their key. Per- 

 haps in a cage, and in a room, their notes may be 

 more distinguishable. This person has tried to settle 

 the notes of a swift, and of several other 

 small birds, but cannot bring them to 

 any criterion. 



As I have often remarked 

 that redwings are some of the 

 first birds that suffer with us in 

 severe weather, it is no won- 

 der at all that they retreat 

 from Scandinavian winters : and 

 much more the ordo of grallce 

 which, all to a bird, forsake the 

 northern parts of Europe at the 

 approach of winter. Grallse tan- 

 quam conjuratse unanimiter in fugam se conjiciunt ; 

 ne earum unicam quidem inter nos habitantem inve- 

 nire possimus; ut enim sestate in australibus degere 

 nequeunt ob defectum lumbricorum, terraraque sic- 

 cam ; ita nec in frigidis ob eandem causam," says 

 Ekmarck the Swede, in his ingenious little treatise 



vation, however, seeing it is the subject of an epigram in the scarce black 

 letter, "Epigrams of John Heywood," dated 15S7 : — 



" Use maketh maistry, this hath been said ahvay ; 

 But all is not alway as all men do say. 

 In April, the koocoo can sing her song by rote, 

 In June of tune she cannot sing a note : 

 At first koocoo, koocoo, sing still can she do ; 

 At last kooke, kooke, kooke, six kookes to one coo." 



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