112 BIRD LIFE GLIMPSES 



discovered that they only superficially resembled 

 them^ and were really larks — and so it goes on, in 

 that never-ending change-about, called classification. 

 If the pipits are not larks, why, first, do they fly like 

 them, and then, again, why do they sing like them ? 

 There is a certain resemblance of tone, even in the 

 poor, weak notes of the meadow-pipit, and no one 

 can listen to the rich and beautiful melody of the 

 tree-plpit, as it descends to earth, in a very lark-like 

 manner, singing all the time, without recognising 

 its affinity with that of the skylark, to which — 

 in Germany, at any rate — it is hardly inferior. Is 

 song, then, so superficial ? To me it seems a very 

 important consideration in settling a bird's family 

 relationship. How strange it would be to find a 

 dove, duck, crow, gull, eagle, parrot, &c., whose 

 voice did not, to some extent, remind one of the 

 group to which it belonged ! Is there anything 

 more distinctive amongst ourselves } The members 

 of a family will often more resemble one another in 

 the tone of their voice than in any other particular, 

 even though there may be a strong family like- 

 ness, as well. Structure is quelque chose^ no doubt ; 

 especially as, dissection not being a popular pastime, 

 one has to submit to any statement that one reads, 

 till the professor on whose authority it rests is con- 

 tradicted by some other professor — as, in due time, 

 he will be, but, meanwhile, one has to wait. Classi- 

 fication, however, should take account of everything, 

 and, for my part, having heard the tree-pipit sing, 

 and seen both it and the titlark fly, I mistrust any 

 system which declares such birds to be wagtails and 

 not larks. 



