Nature has granted these tones to both sexes; but the male is particularly endowed with so very striking a musical talent, that in this respect he surpasses all birds, and has acquired the name of the king of songsters. The strength of his vocal organ is indeed wonderful; and it has been found that the muscles of his larynx are much more powerful than those of any other bird. But it is less the strength than the compass, flexibility, prodigious variety, and harmony of his voice which make it so admired by all lovers of the beautiful. Sometimes dwelling for minutes on a strain composed of only two or three melancholy tones, he begins in an under voice, and swelling it gradually by the most superb crescendo to the highest point of strength, he ends it by a dying cadence; or it consists of a rapid succession of more brilliant sounds, terminated, like many other strains of his song, by some detached ascending notes. Twenty-four different strains or couplets may be reckoned in the song of a fine nightingale, without including its delicate little variations; for among these, as among other musicians, there are some great performers and many middling ones. This song is so articulate, so speaking, that it may be very well written. The following is a trial which I have made on that of a nightingale in my neighbourhood, which passes for a very capital singer[77]:-- _Tioû, tioû, tioû, tioû. Spe, tiou, squa. Tiô, tiô, tiô, tiô, tio, tio, tio, tix. Coutio, coutio, coutio, coutio. Squô, squô, squô, squô. Tzu, tzu, tzu, tzu, tzu, tzu, tzu, tzu, tzu, tzi. Corror, tiou, squa, pipiqui. Zozozozozozozozozozozozo, zirrhading! Tsissisi, tsissisisisisisisis. Dzorre, dzorre, dzorre, dzorre, hi. Tzatu, tzatu, tzatu, tzatu, tzatu, tzatu, tzatu, dzi. Dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo, dlo. Quio, tr rrrrrrrr itz. Lu, lu, lu, lu, ly, ly, ly, ly, liê, liê, liê, liê[78]. Quio, didl li lulylie. Hagurr, gurr quipio! Coui, coui, coui, coui, qui, qui, qui, qui, gai, gui, gui, gui[79] Goll goll goll goll guia hadadoi. Couigui, horr, ha diadia dill si! Hezezezezezezezezezezezezezezezeze couar ho dze hoi. Quia, quia, quia, quia, quia, quia, quia, quia, ti. Ki, ki, ki, ïo, ïo, ïo, ioioioio ki. Lu ly li le lai la leu lo, didl ïo quia. Kigaigaigaigaigaigaigai guiagaigaigai couior dzio dzio pi._[80]