APPENDIX. 



Note i. THE DURATION OP LIFE AMONG BIRDS. 



THERE is less exact knowledge upon this subject than we might 

 expect, considering the existing number of ornithologists and 

 ornithological societies with their numerous publications. It has 

 neither" been possible nor necessary for my purpose to look up all 

 the widely-scattered references which are to be found upon the 

 subject. Many of these are doubtless unknown to me ; for we are 

 still in want of a compilation of accurately determined observations 

 in this department of zoology. I print the few facts which I have 

 been able to collect, as a slight contribution towards such a com- 

 pilation. 



Small singing birds live from eight to eighteen years : the 

 nightingale, in captivity, eight years, but longer according to 

 some writers : the blackbird, in captivity, twelve years, but both 

 these birds live longer in the natural state. A ' half-bred nightin- 

 gale built its nest for nine consecutive years in the same garden ' 

 (Naumann, ' Vogel Deutschlands,' p. 76). 



Canary birds in captivity attain an age of twelve to fifteen 

 years (1. c., p. 76). 



Ravens have lived for almost a hundred years in captivity 

 (1. c., Bd. I. p. 125). 



Magpies in captivity live twenty years, and, ' without doubt,' 

 much longer in the natural state (1. c., p. 346). 



Parrots ' in captivity have reached upwards of a hundred years ' 

 (I.e., p. 125). 



A single instance of the cuckoo (alluded to in the text) is men- 

 tioned by Naumann as reaching the age of thirty-two years (1. c., 

 p. 76). 



Fowls live ten to twenty years, the golden pheasant fifteen years, 

 the turkey sixteen years, and the pigeon ten years (Oken, 'Natur- 

 geschichte, Vogel,' p. 387). 



