SINGING BI&GS. 
9 
ties of building, hatching, and feeding, toge- 
ther with the continual melody wherewith they 
charm us, affords a pleafure as ferene and ex- 
quisite as any we can feel befide, and fids our 
minds with gratitude and love to that Supreme 
Being, who has formed fucb a variety of beau- 
tiful harmonious creatures for our admiration 
and amufement. Of the larger kind of birds, 
which we often train up for our diverfion, fuch 
asthe Black-Bird, theStarling, and Song-Tnrufh, 
none of them feem fo agreeable companions as 
the above ; though all of them are fine fingers : 
the two former coff us much pains in teaching, 
as their natural notes arc fo me what wild and 
unharmonious ; and the latter, though remark- 
aide for his vaft variety of mufic, is fo loud and 
clamorous in his fong, as almoft to deafen the 
ears of the hearer, and therefore the woods 
feem a fitter habitation for him than the cage. 
Some of the other fmall birds are endowed with 
very fine natural notes, but have neither that 
variety of harmony, nor that facility of being 
taught, as thefe above mentioned have ; befides 
that many of them are fallen, and extremely 
ffubborn in their manner : I would therefore 
advife fuch of my countrymen as are lovers of 
birds, chiefly to cultivate and train up the mofl 
melodious of the fpecies, and fuch as are na- 
tives of the climate, viz. the Sky-Lark, the Lin- 
net, and Gold-Finch ; and if they can afford 
