298 
VOICES OF BIRDS. 
the Louisiana water thrush. The notes of the 
bird are as powerful and mellow, and at times as van* 3 , 
This bird is a resident of the low lands of Louis'* ^ 
and the Mississippi. It may be observed perched 
low bough, scarcely higher than the top of the caJ '^ 1 
in ah erect attitude, swelling its throat, and repeatbjjj 
several times in succession, sounds so approaching 
whole two octaves of a good piano-forte, as almost 
induce the hearer to imagine that the keys of w. 
instrument are used on the occasion. The bird beg 1 ' 
on the upper key, and progressively passes from oU* ' 
another until it reaches the base note, this last ^ 
quently being lost when there is the least agitatio® 
the air. Its song is heard even in the winter when 
weather is calm and warm.” 
Voices of Birds. 
Although the beautiful remarks of Wilson on 
song of birds are already before our readers, we do ' 1 
not they will enjoy the following observations 0 
they Will enjoy uu: imiovvutg uoservauuua - jj 
universally admired popular modern English write" 
the same subject : — | 
“ Rural sounds, the voices, the language of the { | 
creatures, as heard by the naturalist, belong to, and & 
in concord with, the country only. Our sight, 11 ^ 
smell, may perhaps be deceived for an interval by c ° . 
servatories, horticultural arts, and bowers of s«ec^ 
but our hearing can in no way be beguiled by 
semblance of what is heard in the grove or the t> e . 
The hum, the murmur, the medley of the mead, *j, 
peculiarly its own, admit of no imitation, and distin* . 
notify the various periods of the year, with an acci't':, t , 
as certain as they arc detailed in our calendars ■* - 
season of spring is always announced as approach^, 
by the notes of the rookery, by the jangle or " ol1 Ll 
accents of the dark frequenters of its trees; and f ^ 
time having passed away, these contentions aud cade" 
are no longer heard. The cuckoo then conies, 
informs us that spring has arrived, — that he has J 1 ' j 
neyed to us, borne by gentle gales in sunny days, — 
