THE VOICE. 
55 
taken in the true sense of the word, do not sing at all! 
Some of the Parrots in New Holland warble very prettily, 
much better, indeed, than many birds possessed of the 
full development necessary for this accomplishment. The 
serenade, with which the elegant little Grass Parakeet 
entertains his spouse, resembles a low murmuring con¬ 
versation rather than a song. The most curious of all 
songsters is the Lyre-bird ( Menura superba), not only 
actually a singer, but a mocker, a fact recently dis¬ 
covered.* 
Africa does not appear to be entirely deficient in 
woodland vocalists; but, as far as my experience went, I 
only met with one thoroughly good songster in the plain- 
coloured Bulbul ( Sycnonotus Arsinoe), which is to be found 
south of Upper Egypt, in almost every cluster of scrub or 
palms : it delivers the few strophes of its song with much 
variety and fire, indeed, not unlike our Song-thrush (T. 
Musicus), though the song of the latter far surpasses it. 
I must not omit to state, however, that in my last 
journey to Abyssinia I met with another excellent 
songster, the Bed-fronted Warbler ( Dyemoeca rufifrons ): 
he warbles his fresh rippling lay with much perse¬ 
verance and energy; in these qualities he much surpasses 
his fellow-performers. Gordon is enchanted with the 
song of a cousin of the above, the Fantee Warbler 
(Melocichla mentalis ), an inhabitant of Western Africa. 
The “ splendid” melody of this bird reminded him more 
than anything of the woods and copses of his English 
home and their bright minstrels. “ If,” says he, “ at 
* According to Mr. Gould, our best authority on the birds of Australia, 
M. Superba produces “a loud liquid call,” as also “a low sparkling note,” quite 
different from the above. He makes no mention of the Lyre-bird as either a 
songster or a mimic.— W. J. 
