IMITATION AND MIMICRY. 199 
sufficiently conclusive against the theory that there 
are none or only inferior song-birds in the forests 
of America. 
CHAPTER XVI. 
IMITATION AND MIMICRY OF BIRDS. 
“ Mimicry,” says Lord Chesterfield, “ which is 
the common and favourite amusement of little, low 
minds, is in the utmost contempt with great ones. 
It is the lowest and most illiberal of all buffoonery ; 
we should neither practice it nor applaud it in 
others.”* Yet,in despite of his lordship’s authority, 
mimicry and imitation are and will be practised, and 
relished and applauded so long as men continue to 
receive pleasure from exercising their minds in ma- 
king comparisons ; for this exercise is always pleas- 
ing in proportion to the activity of mind, or the flow 
of associated ideas thereby produced, perhaps the 
true origin$ indeed, of all our mental pleasures. 
All this may be true so far as it goes; but the 
pleasure of making comparisons is only a particu- 
lar instance of the pleasure we have in perceiving 
similitude in dissimilitude, or sameness combined 
with variety; and this is the true principle of the 
phenomenon under consideration. 
If we hear a parrot utter an imitation of the 
words “ Pretty Poll,” we immediately trace a se- 
ries of resemblances or differences between the 
pronunciation of the words by the parrot and by a 
man; and if the bird comes near the sound, we are 
pleased in tracing the resemblance, while we admire 
* Letters, vol. ii. 
