on Wood's British Song Birds. 567 



book is the first thing that is found fault with, I may mention 

 that the whole work was written before the title was fixed on; 

 and that it was then given as the least objectionable that could 

 be devised, without excluding several birds, which I by no 

 means wished to do ; desiring, if possible, rather to adapt the 

 title to the work, than the work to the title. If your corre- 

 spondent will name a better title, it shall be adopted. If C. J. 

 has not met with " country folk so totally ignorant of ornitho- 

 logy as to mistake a house sparrow for a hedge sparrow," 

 perhaps he will believe me when I assure him that many in- 

 stances of this have fallen under my immediate observation. 

 I have not only known the hedge dunnock, but also the whin 

 (or common) linnet, mistaken for the house sparrow ; and have 

 fallen in with individuals who did not recognise the house spar- 

 row when shown to them. N. B. These persons were " country 

 folk/' and not " town residents." I could easily multiply in- 

 stances, but refrain from doing so, lest I should not be believed. 

 C. J. says, " In a note at the foot of p. 39., the name of an 

 original observer in natural history is introduced in a some- 

 what petulant and unbecoming manner, which might have 

 been avoided." I beg to inform your readers (for they cer- 

 tainly never could guess it) that this " original observer" is 

 Professor Rennie. The title of original is quite a new acqui- 

 sition to the professor, and it is certainly the last epithet that 

 could properly be applied to him. This, I believe, is agreed 

 to on all hands; and the "pettish and unbecoming manner" 

 in which many of our first naturalists (amongst whom I may 

 mention Dr. Latham, Mr. Swainson, and Mr. Mudie,) have 

 thought fit to allude to his compilations, has evidently had its 

 effect, in preventing Mr. Rennie from pursuing his old habits, 

 and may still be of service in hindering others from following 

 in his steps. It will be observed that every other naturalist 

 whose name is introduced at all, is spoken of in the true spirit 

 of science ; and, however I may have differed from them in 

 opinion, I have carefully abstained from acrimony or personal 

 abuse. 



The mistake noticed at the bottom of p. 516. had pre- 

 viously escaped my observation ; and I am glad C. J. has 

 mentioned it, as it gives me an opportunity of thus publicly 

 acknowledging it. The question regarding the song of the 

 skylark is merely one of taste; and I shall, therefore, only 

 observe that I still consider the notes (with a few melodious 

 exceptions) harsh and monotonous. 



With regard to the caging of birds, I may remark that it 

 is cruel to cage the skylark, because its misery can only ter- 

 minate with its life ; whereas the migratory members of the 



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