XXi! 
INTRODUCTION. 
neral form or drudure, a fimilariry of cudoms, and 
a fort of dialed: 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 themfelves and their 
young, calling on one another, as well as their me- 
naces againd 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- 
Jicitude of the male, alleviates the toils, cares, and 
didreffes of the female, confoles her in folitary re- 
tirement whilfl 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 affedions, are particularly 
confpicuous .in the different tribes of the thrufh, fa- 
mous for fong. On a fweet May morning we fee 
the red thru flies (turdus rufus) perched on an ele- 
vated fprig of the fnowy Hawthorn, fweet flower- 
ing Crab, or other hedge fnrub, exerting their ac« 
complements in fong, driving by varying and ele- 
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, didinguifhes himfelf in a variety of adion as 
well as air ; from a turret he bounds aloft with the 
celerity of an arrow, as it were to recover or recal 
his very foul, expired in the lad elevated drain. 
The high foreds are filled with the fymphony of the 
fong or wood thrufh (turdus minor). 
Both fexes of fome tribes of birds fing equally 
S finely 
