v THE PHILOSOPHY OF BIRDS' NESTS 105 



He then goes on to say that birds taken from the nest at two 

 or three weeks old have already learnt the call-note of their 

 species. To prevent this the birds must be taken from the 

 nest when a day or two old, and he gives an account of a 

 goldfinch which he saw at Knighton in Radnorshire, and 

 which sang exactly like a wren, without any portion of the 

 proper note of its species. This bird had been taken from 

 the nest at two or three days old, and had been hung at a 

 window opposite a small garden, where it had undoubtedly 

 acquired the notes of the wren without having any oppor- 

 tunity of learning even the call of the goldfinch. 



He also saw a linnet, which had been taken from the 

 nest when only two or three days old, and which, not having 

 any other sounds to imitate, had learnt almost to articulate, 

 and could repeat the words, " Pretty Boy," and some other short 

 sentences. 



Another linnet was educated by himself under a vengolina 

 (a small African finch, which he says sings better than any 

 foreign bird but the American mocking bird), and it imitated 

 its African master so exactly that it was impossible to dis- 

 tinguish the one from the other. 



Still more extraordinary was the case of a common house 

 sparrow, which only chirps in a wild state, but which learnt 

 the song of the linnet and goldfinch by being brought up 

 near those birds. 



The Rev. W. H. Herbert made similar observations, and 

 states that the young whinchat and wheatear, which have 

 naturally little variety of song, are ready in confinement to 

 learn from other species, and become much better songsters. 

 The bullfinch, whose natural notes are weak, harsh, and 

 insignificant, has nevertheless a wonderful musical faculty, 

 since it can be taught to whistle complete tunes. The night- 

 ingale, on the other hand, whose natural song is so beautiful, 

 is exceedingly apt in confinement to learn tkat of other birds 

 instead. Bechstein gives an account of a redstart which had 

 built under the eaves of his house, which imitated the song 

 of a caged chaffinch in a window underneath, while another 

 in his neighbour's garden repeated some of the notes of a 

 blackcap, which had a nest close by. 



These facts, and many others which might be quoted, 



