APPENDIX. 677 



Superiority in fong gives to birds a moft amaz- 

 ing afcendency over each other; as is well known 

 to the bird-catchers by the fafcinating power of 

 their call-birds, which they contrive mould moult 

 prematurely for this purpofe. 



But, to mew decifively that the finging of a bird 

 in the fpring does not ariie from any attention 

 to its mate, a very experienced catcher of nightin- 

 gales hath informed me, that fome of thefe birds 

 have jerked the inftant they were caught. He hath 

 alfo brought to me a nightingale, which had been 

 but a few hours in a cage, and which burfl forth in 

 a roar of fong. 



At the fame time this bird is fo fulky on its firn: 

 confinement, that he muft be crammed for feven or 

 eight days, as he will other wife not feed himfelf ; 

 it is alfo neceflfary to tye his wings, to prevent his 

 killing himfelf againft the top or fides of the cage. 



I believe there is no inftance of any bird's fing- 

 ing which exceeds our black bird in fize ; and pof- 

 fibly this may arife from the difficulty of its con- 

 cealing itfelf, if it called the attention of its ene- 

 mies, not only by bulk, but by the proportionable 

 loudnefs of its notes *. 



I mould rather conceive, it is for the fame rea- 

 fon that no henbird fings, becaufe this talent would 

 be ftill more dangerous during incubation j which 



* For the fame reafon, moil large birds are wilder lhan the 

 fmaller ones. 



Y y 2 may 



