the SINCING of BIRDS. 1 8 7 
And here I muft again repeat, that what I 
defcribe is from a caged Nightingale •, becauft^ 
tlaofe which we hear in the Spring are fo rank* 
that they feldom ling any thing, but fhort and 
loud jerks, which confequenfly cannot be com- 
pared to the notes of a caged-bird, as the inftru- 
ment is over ft rained. 
I muft alfo here obferve, that my Nightin- 
gale was a very capital bird ; for fome of them 
are fo vaftly inferior, that the bird-fanciers will 
not keep them, branding them with the name 
of Frenchmen . 
But it is not only in tone and variety that 
the Nightingale excels ; the bird alfo tings, (it 
I may fo exprefs myfelf ) with fuperior judgment 
and tafte. 
I have therefore commonly obferved, that my 
Nightingale began foftly, like the ancient ora- 
tors •, referving its breath to lwell certain notes, 
note, wkhoutdnftni&ion, is a rucft jarring and diiagree&ble 
noife. 
1 have likewife omitted the R'ed-Start (which is called 5y 
the French It Rojignol de Muraille ), a3 I am not fufficiendy 
acquainted with its Long, though it i3 admired by many. I 
fhould rather conceive, however, w ith Zinanni, that there 
is no very extraordinary merit in the notes. 
The London bird-catchers alfo fell ibmetimes -the Yellow- 
Hammer, Twite, and Bn. mb ling, as tinging birds; but 
none of thefc will come within my definition of what max 
be deemed fo, 
