286 INSTINCTS OF BIRDS. 



are naturally wild and voracious, but a consi- 

 derable share of memory is displayed, and a 

 surprising degree of controul exercised over some 

 of their most active instincts. 



Several birds of the finch, grosbeak, and war- 

 bler genera acquire the art of piping long and 

 difficult tunes with facility and precision ; and 

 it is well known that some of the parrots, and 

 also the jay, starling, jackdaw, and magpie 

 readily learn to pronounce single words, and 

 even short sentences, with tolerable exactness. 

 Yet, although 1 have excellent opportunities of 

 observing the last species, and have been almost 

 in the daily practice of investigating its habits, I 

 never knew it display any unusual exertion of its 

 capacity for imitation in a state of nature, though 

 when domesticated, it appears to have this faculty 

 more highly developed than almost any other 

 British bird. 



The congregating of gregarious birds, which 

 takes place in autumn, when they have finished 

 breeding, is perhaps intended to promote their 

 mutual security, as they are much less liable to 

 be surprised by enemies when associated together 

 in large numbers, than they are when separate. 

 What tends to strengthen this opinion is the fact, 

 that some species provide for the general safety, 



