Ventriloquism in Birds. 445 



time, omitted to send a notice of this to the conductor of this 

 Magazine, and came to consider it as too well known for fur- 

 ther notice afterwards. — May 24. 1837. 



Ventriloquism in Birds. — In your number for May, you 

 seem to consider ventriloquism in the robin, (S. Rubecula) 

 as of very rare occurrence ; or, at least, not much noticed by 

 naturalists. In the last, I think, you are correct, though 

 most certainly not as to the rarity of its occurrence : it is not 

 confined to the robin alone, as your notice seems to imply, 

 but occurs more or less in a great many of our singing birds ; 

 as in the blackbird, thrush, wren, and many others I could 

 name, had I my notes by me ; but former vols, of your work 

 offers quite sufficient testimony. Now, although I know but 

 little of natural history, yet, what I do know, is derived from 

 the fields ; and I will, therefore, with your permission, add 

 my mite, by one or two notes towards elucidating the natural 

 history of our general favourite, beginning with its ventrilo- 

 quism. The first time I ever noticed it in the robin, was 

 some years since, in the west of England, on a calm and 

 beautiful autumnal evening, after the breeding season had 

 passed. I was amusing myself with working in the garden, 

 when, just before sunset, I heard two birds singing as if en- 

 deavouring to excel each other, which I knew to be the robin 

 from its full, yet clear and soft notes ; although they appeared 

 to be at some distance I still worked on, but was much sur- 

 prised at hearing the notes suddenly alter, and appear as if 

 just above where I was then standing; on looking up, I saw 

 two perched on the uppermost bough of an elm, opposite to 

 each other. At first I doubted whether the sound proceeded 

 from them or not, as it seemed to come from some distance, 

 and their bills were quite closed ; but the alternate contraction 

 and dilatation of the chest soon convinced me that they were 

 the songsters. They seemed at first to be taking not the least 

 notice of each other; but in this I was mistaken, for, as if 

 actuated by one impulse, they flew towards each other and 

 commenced a most desperate battle, parting every now and 

 then as if nothing had occurred, and again perching themselves 

 on the uppermost branches, commenced their songs afresh, but 

 though apparently taking no notice of each other, they were 

 evidently trying to excel, and which to admire most I could 

 not tell, they acquitted themselves so admirably ; one, how- 

 ever, soon left ; and the other, which had now full possession 

 of the field, seemed to triumph. He continued to sing some- 

 times with open mouth, pouring it forth to the winds, and 

 again confining it, as it were, in his chest, changing from one 

 to the other without apparent effort ; and this was continued 



