EVOLUTION OF BIRDSONG 



CHAPTER IX 



THE INFLUENCE OF IMITATION IN RELATION TO BIRD-SONG 



PAGES 



Imitation by dogs and other animals — The notes of some birds 

 wholly perpetuated by imitation ; of others wholly by inherit- 

 ance — Observations of authors on the mimicry of birds — 

 House-sparrow with lark's song, and other instances — Pos- 

 sible effects of imitation — Interesting similarities observable : 

 between notes of birds and sounds produced by elements — the 

 music of the streams — by insects, by quadrupeds, by birds — 

 General observations — Chief subjects imitated by various 

 birds — thrushes, robins, skylarks, sedge -warblers — showed 

 influence of arrival of summer migrants — Full records of 

 songs of thrush, robin, skylark, starling, sedge - warbler, 

 redstart, nightingale, marsh-warbler, wheatear, goldcrest, 

 whitethroats, nuthatch, reed -bunting, stonechat, blackbird, 

 chaffinch, and others ..... 159-229 



CHAPTER X 



THE MUSIC OF BIRD-SONG 



Repetition of intervals of pitch — Our diatonic scale was known 

 3000 years ago — Curious intervals sung by great titmouse, 

 chaffinch, and robin — Curious crowing of fowls— Intervals in 

 blackbirds' alarms — Music of the blackcap, mistle-thrush, and 

 American robin ...... 230-238 



CONCLUSION 239-240 



APPENDIX 



Transcripts of music sung by blackbirds, thrushes, and skylarks 241-246 

 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF TPIE SUBJECT . . . 247, 248 



INDEX ....... 249-253 



