EVOLUTION OF BIRD- SONG 



was watching the characteristic flight, if not listening 

 to the notes, of our own favourite at home" {pp. cit, 

 vol. iv. p. 509). The Abyssinian larks were said by 

 Bruce to sing like those of Europe {Dom. Hab. 

 Birds, p. 300). The South African lark {Mirafra 

 ncEvid) sings in the air as well as on a tree (Layard, 

 op, cit. p. 525). The Latakoo lark {M. cheniana) 

 " somewhat resembles in its habits the English 

 skylark, rising in the air early in the morning, with 

 the same fluttering flight, and singing all the time " 

 {ibid. p. 529). Thus we find American, European, 

 and African larks agreeing in their manner of 

 singing. 



The buntings {Ember izidce) appear to be allied to 

 the pipits by their notes, in some species by the pos- 

 session of a rather long hind-claw, and other features. 

 The call-note of the young yellow bunting, and that 

 of the young and the adult cirl-bunting, are not un- 

 like the call-squeak of the tree-pipit. Yarrell quotes 

 the late Mr. Proctor of Durham in relation to the 

 snow-bunting as follows : — " I have often seen him, 

 when coming from the nest, rise up in the air and 

 sing sweetly, with wings and tail spread, like a tree- 

 pipit " {op. cit. 1st ed. vol. i. p. 432). In the cirl- 

 bunting the call-note of the young is uttered by 

 adults in the breeding season ; and this bird some- 



