EVOLUTION OF BIRD- SONG 



are many other instances of family resemblances 

 between the notes of finches. Wilson has a note 

 by Mr. Ord, that the call of the lesser redpoll 

 exactly resembles that of the common yellow bird 

 (i^ tristis) of Pennsylvania {American Ornithology^ 

 vol. ii. p. 37). In The Field, number 2020, p. 

 430, Mr. F. H. H. Guillemard, in ''Notes on the 

 Ornithology of Cyprus," records that the cries of the 

 serin finch found in Trooides Camp resemble those 

 of the European bird, and that the habits of the 

 two species are similar. Bechstein remarks that the 

 song of the serin might be mistaken for that of 

 the canary {op. cit. p. 155); and the same authority 

 {ibid. p. 1 49) mentions that the goldfinch most easily 

 imitates the canary, and also pairs with it — as is 

 now well known. He also observes that the song 

 of the Lapland finch {F. Laponicd) " is very similar 

 to the linnet's" {pp. cit. p. 157); and he applies the 

 same expression towards the song of the Angola 

 finch {F. Angolensis). Wilson states that the note 

 of the American pine -finch {F. pinus) "is almost 

 exactly like that of the goldfinch" {F, tristis) 

 {American Ornithology, vol. i. p. 276) ; and further, 

 that the note of its near relation the purple finch 

 is a single chink like that of the rice -bird {ibid. 

 p. 119). 



