Vlll CONTENTS. 



Page 



The Stork 171 



Remarks on the common Opinion ib. 



Swallows and Sparrows 172 



Warnings of Danger 173 



Anecdote from Smellie 174 



Instructions in catching Prey 175 



CHAPTER XV. LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 



Language, as referring to Birds 176 



The Richel Bird , . ib. 



Natural Notes of Alarm ib. 



Theory of Darwin ........ 178 



Variety in the Language of Birds 180 



Social Signals for congregating 181 



Fables originating therefrom 183 



The Butcher-bird 185 



CHAPTER XVI. SONGS OF BIRDS. 



Songs of Birds expressive of Joy 186 



Female Birds rarely Sing ib. 



Supposed Cause of Singing 187 



Recording ' . ib. 



Winter and Autumnal Songs 191 



Vocal Organs of Song-birds 192 



The Wood-thrush and Song-thrush . . 193 



The Chaffinch, Dunnock, and Yellow-hammer 

 Nightingales of the North and South . . ' 

 Theory of Buffon refuted .... 

 Wood-thrush of America .... 

 American Song-birds 



195 

 ib. 



196 

 ib. 

 197 



CHAPTER XVII. IMITATION AND MIMICRY. 



Remaks of Chesterfield 199 



Probable Explanation of Mocking in Birds . . . . ib. 



The Polyglot-chat 202 



The Blue-jay 205 



The American Mocking-bird 206 



Colonel O'Kelly's Gray Parrot 212 



Testimony of the Rev. W. Herbert ib. 



CHAPTER XVIII. LONGEVITY OP BIRDS. 



Physical Causes of Old Age 214 



Dis'eases in a State of Nature 215 



The Raven, the Pelican, and the Eagle .... 216 

 Fabulous Accounts of the Eagle 218 



