A TALKING CANARY. 209 



A far more interesting case of this kind, however, has recently 

 been recorded by Mr. Leigh Sotheby. In this instance the bird 

 was a Canary, the only one hatched out of a nest of four eggs, 

 and which, for some cause or other, was immediately deserted by 

 its parents, who commenced a new nest upon it. On being re- 

 moved from the cage, where it was found half dead, it was care- 

 fully pkced in flannel near the fire ; and after much attention 

 it was fully restored to health and strength, and brought up 

 by hand. It was entirely removed from all other birds, and 

 seldom heard any sounds but those of the endearing epithets 

 that were addressed to it by its fair protector. To the surprise 

 and delight of the household, the first utterances of the little 

 pet were those very expressions of endearment. When only 

 three months old it repeated " Kissie, Kissie," and imitated the 

 sound of kissing ; and after a while it would repeat for hours to- 

 gether, " Dear, sweet Titchie, kiss Minnie ; kiss me then, dear 

 Minnie ; sweet, pretty, little Titchie, Kissie, Kissie, Kissie, dear Tit- 

 chie, Titchie, wee, gee, gee, gee, Titchie, Titchie," frequently string- 

 ing together these particular expressions, and repeated them over 

 and over again in rapid succession. Occasionally it imitated the 

 sound of a dog- whistle used about the house ; and like a loyal 

 subject it learned to whistle the first bar of " God save the Queen.'' 

 The little creature was remarkably tame ; and frequently would 

 hop down from its cage to its owner's finger, shouting and 

 talking the while in the most excited manner. 



Whatever force there may seem to be in facts like those we 

 have given, as tending to show that birds have no innate ideas of 

 the notes which are supposed to be peculiar to each species, their 

 value in the argument is greatly diminished by a consideration 

 of the circumstance, that it is only in exceptional cases, and under 

 what we may call unnatural conditions, that they occur at all. 

 Moreover, it seems difficult on the theory of imitation to under- 

 stand how birds should have any distinctive notes at all, and why 

 it is that the individuals of each species exhibit such a constant 

 general uniformity in their song. But the theory is contradicted 

 by the fact of every-day experience. Nothing is more common 

 than for young Thrushes, Blackbirds, and Larks, not to mention 

 other birds, to be taken from the nest within a few days of 

 their being hatched, and to be brought up by hand in towns 

 far away from the green fields and the songs of their fellows, and 



P 



