saui introduction’. 
neral form or ftru&ure, a fimilarity of cuftoms, and 
a fort of dialect or language, particular to that na- 
tion or genus from which thofe tribes feem to have 
defcended or feparated. What I mean by a language 
in birds, is the common notes or fpeech, that they 
ufe when employed in feeding themfeives and their 
young, calling on one another, as well as their me- 
naces againft their enemy ; for their fongs feem to 
be mufical compofitions, performed only by the 
males, about the time of incubation, in part to di- 
vert and amufe the female, entertaining her with 
melody, &c. This harmony, with the tender fo- 
licitude of the male, alleviates the toils, cares, and 
diftrefles of the female, confoles her in folitary re- 
tirement whilft fitting, and animates her with affec~ 
tion and attachment to himfelf in preference to any 
other. The volatility of their fpecies, and opera- 
tion of their paffions and affe&ions, are particularly 
confpicuous in the different tribes of the thrufh, fa* 
mous for fong. On a fweet May morning we fee 
the red thrufhes (turdus rufus) perched on an ele- 
vated fprig of the fnowy Hawthorn, fweet flower- 
ing Crab, or other hedge fhrub, exerting their ac- 
complifhments in fong, ftriving by varying and eie* 
vating their voices to excel each other ; we obferve 
a very agreeable variation, not only in tone but in 
modulation; the voice of one is fhrill, of another 
lively and elevated, of others fonorous and quiver- 
ing. The mock-bird (turdus polyglottos) who ex- 
cels, diftinguiihes himfelf in a variety of action as 
well as air ; from a turret he bounds aloft v/ith the 
celerity of an arrow, as it were to recover or recal 
his very foul, expired in the laft elevated ftraim 
The high forefts are filled with the fymphony of the 
fong or wood thrufh (turdus minor). 
Both fexes of fome tribes of birds ling equally 
finely * 
