84 E VOL UTION OF BIRD-SONG 



the others instantly joined in with the concluding 

 notes : 



The whole phrase was 



This incident occurred in the churchyard at Bisley, 

 Gloucestershire, and was repeated there on several 

 days when I visited the spot. There were about 

 six starlings singing. The intervals were fairly 

 correct, and the unison was seemingly perfect ; from 

 which we may infer that the phrase had been much 

 practised by the birds, having possibly been origin- 

 ally learned by one of them from some captive, or 

 from the church music, which during eight centuries 

 or more has been heard in that place. I also heard 

 the same song uttered in the same way by starlings 

 at the Conegre, three miles from Bisley, and in the 

 following year I again heard it at the same places ; 

 I have never heard it elsewhere. This was the only 

 instance of what may be called intentional chorus- 



