7 o6 APPENDIX. 



The firft of thefe is too much neglected by the 

 naturalift ; for, if the bird is not caught, the only 

 means often by which either the fex or the fpecies 

 can be determined is the fong. For example, if 

 Motif. Adanfon had informed us whether the Eu- 

 ropean fwallows, which he conceived were to be 

 feen during the winter at Senegal, had the fame 

 notes with thofe of Europe, it would have been going 

 one ftep further in proof of the facts which he and 

 others fo much rely upon. 



Thefe experiments, however, may be faid to 

 be ufeful to all thofe who happen to be pleafed 

 with finging birds ; becaufe it is clear, that, by 

 educating a bird under feveral forts, we may often 

 make fuch a mixture, as to improve the notes 

 which they would have learned in a wild ftate. 



It refults alfo from the experiment of the linnet 

 being educated under the Vengolina, that we may 

 introduce the notes of Afia, Africa, and America^ 

 into our own woods -, becaufe, if that linnet had 

 been fet at liberty *, the neftlings of the next fea- 

 fon would have adhered to the Vengolina fong, 

 who would again tranfmit it to their defcendants. 



* I know well, that it is commonly fuppofed, if you fet a 

 caged bird at liberty, it will neither be able to feed itfelf, nor 

 otherwife live long, on account of its being perfecuted 

 by the wild ones. There is no foundation, however, for this 

 notion ; and I take it to arife from its affording an excufe for 

 continuing to keep thefe birds in confinement. 



But 



