THE VOICE. 
51 
Cardinal are so admirably rendered, even improved, that 
these, ashamed of their inferiority, become silent; while 
the Mocking-bird, pleased with his victory, continues 
singing with renewed vigour. 
“ These endless changes, however, utterly mar the 
bird’s natural song. The rendering of the splendid 
melody of the Wood Thrush is suddenly interrupted by 
the imitation of a Cock crowing; the song of the Blue¬ 
bird is interwoven with the twittering of the Swallow 
or the cackling of Hens; and the simple strain of the 
Migratory Thrush is jumbled up with the woeful call of 
the Whip-poor-Will.” 
Thus, we find that while imitations of the songs of 
other birds, and airs taught by rote, have their disadvan¬ 
tages, the natural and spontaneous melody of a bird 
preserves its full value. For this reason the Philomel 
Nightingale ( Ph . major ) and the Nightingale ever remain 
the kings, or rather the king and queen, of our band of 
feathered songsters: they stand unrivalled, neither 
surpassing the other. The Nightingale possesses ardour, 
with the most melting notes ; and its cousin, strength and 
fulness of tone. The warbled composition of the latter is 
a majestic “ Andante,” while that of the Nightingale is 
an exquisite “Allegro;” one vieing with the other in 
richness of notes and strophes. They form the poles of 
one and the same entity: the Philomel Nightingale 
represents manly power in song; the Nightingale, female 
grace. They are rightly entitled king and queen, so to 
speak; he, the king, and she, his queen, though both 
songsters be of the same sex. They fill every heart with 
their heavenly strains. Careful observation proves that 
they warble both in major and minor keys : soft and sad, 
lively and joyous, earnest and tender, loud and low; 
