240 CLASSIFICATION OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



birds, and find their originals in the jungles of India and the regions of 

 Java. The Woodpeckers cannot be called singers, although they have a 

 loud laughing note enough; but among the very small birds we have some 

 beautifully sweet voices, thus the Linnets, the Titmice, the Swallows, the 

 Wagtails, the Stone and Whinchats, are pretty songsters, and the Wheatear; 

 and what can add to the enjoyment of the purity of the air on the moor 

 more than these sweet sounds, as they come upon the air borne amid the 

 hum of wings? Even the Buntings, although not strictly harmonious, have 

 still a modified song. Then the Sky Lark and Wood Lark are beautiful 

 songsters, especially the latter, for there is a delicate sweetness in his notes, 

 albeit, the Sky Lark has a splendid voice; the Bullfinch too is a fine 

 singer, that is, his natural notes are few, but, as we all know, he is 

 capable of being taught to execute complete airs. Even Owls hoot in a 

 particular key, and I doubt not but that the Raven and Bittern have 

 some fine bass notes. 



It is the Pie, Thrush, and Parrot kinds that chiefly learn to articulate 

 words, indeed I believe the only ones; the Starling having in some instances 

 attained to great proficiency in this particular, and there have happened 

 one or two cases of talking Canaries, but these were considered such 

 uncommon rarities as to be valued at the most enormous price. 



The song of birds is so exquisitely adapted to set off their soft aspect 

 amid the boughs of the forest or the sprays of the hedge-row, that no 

 other accompaniment could render them so charming. It seems to com- 

 municate a double degree of elasticity to their motions, and creates a 

 joyousness in the scenes of nature which I am persuaded nothing else 

 could so well supply. It is impossible in the limits of a single paper, to 

 do more than touch upon the different varieties of songsters, but perhaps 

 at some future period, I may enter into a more minute comparison of 

 the various species as regards their vocal powers. 



Pembroke Square, Kensington, April, 1856. 



ON" THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, 

 BY THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE NERVES. 



BY F. M. BURTON, ESQ. 



(Continued from page 2\Q.) 



No. V.— Part II. 



In the third great class of the Vertebrate division, that of birds, we find 

 many interesting organic changes and developments, the principal of which, 

 says Professor Jones, after the improvement in the condition of the nervous 



