i87 



While I am fully aware that under the artificial 

 conditions of confinement birds are extremely likely 

 to acquire abnormal songs, I cannot but feel that the 

 knowledge of the methods of song which has come 

 to me while watching birds under these conditions, 

 indicate a receptivity which to some extent un- 

 doubtedly obtains in their lives out of doors. My 

 conclusion is that birds are influenced in their early 

 lives very strongly by any noise that arrests their 

 attention, even in a wild state, and that this pro- 

 pensity to imitate and differentiate their normal 

 methods of song is greatly exaggerated under the 

 artificial state wherein they live when in confinement. 

 {To be co7iiinued). 



IReview. 



Field Book oj Wild Birds and their Music. A Description cy 

 the character and music oJ birds, intended to assist in the 

 identificatio7i of species common in the Eastern United 

 States, By F. Schuyler iMaihezus. G. P. Futman's Sons. 

 Price 7/6 net. 



This is an attempt to express the song of birds 

 in musical notation. Until we saw the book we 

 understood that to be an impossibility— but as we are 

 hopelessly unmusical we will not venture to express 

 any opinion upon the matter. It would seem that 

 Mr. Mathews has expended much labour and care 

 upon the subject, and he deserves to have succeeded — 

 but whether he has done so we cannot say. 



Apart altogether from the musical question, the 

 work forms a useful handbook to the birds of the 

 Eastern States. There are a number of illustrations, 

 nearly all in colour, which will be found valuable for 

 the purpose of identification of species, but are 

 neither artistic nor minutely accurate. 



We should be glad if some musician would give 

 the readers of " Bird Notes " his opinion on the book. 



