Birds' Songs and the Diatonic Scale

Abstract

A LETTER from Dr. R. H. Bellairs, of Cheltenham, appeared in the Times of June 14, describing the performance “by a wild bird, probably a thrush, of the arpeggio of the common chord in tune, absolutely in tune.” This was followed by other letters, of which the Times printed three and gave a summary of the rest. Their contents amount to this: blackbirds do occasionally sing a few notes in our diatonic scale; thrushes less often. Only one other bird was mentioned, “the whitethroat or willow-wren,” which leaves the identity of the species doubtful; and neither whitethroat nor willow-wren has ever even dimly suggested to me the use of our musical scale. But as the voices of blackbird and thrush do now and then make this suggestion, I will venture, at the Editor's request, to say a few words on the subject.