The Woodhewer Family. 257 



Furnarius, and it is very curious that the young 

 birds, when only partially fledged, are constantly 

 heard in the nest or oven apparently practising 

 these duets in the intervals when the parents are 

 absent; single measured notes, triplets, and long con- 

 cluding trills are all repeated with wonderful fidelity, 

 although these notes are in character utterly unlike 

 the hunger cry, which is like that of other fledglings. 

 I cannot help thinking that this fact of the young 

 birds beginning to sing like the adults, while still 

 confined in their dark cradle, is one of very con- 

 siderable significance, especially when we consider 

 the singular character of the performance; and 

 that it might even be found to throw some light on 

 the obscure question of the comparative antiquity of 

 the different and widely separated Dendrocolaptine 

 groups. It is a doctrine in evolutionary science 

 that the early maturing of instincts in the young 

 indicates a high antiquity for the species or group ; 

 and there is no reason why this principle should 

 not be extended, in the case of birds at any rate, to 

 language. It is true that Dairies Harrington's 

 notion that young song-birds learn to sing only by 

 imitating the adults still holds its ground ; and 

 Darwin gives it his approval in his Descent of 

 Man. It is perhaps one of those doctrines which 

 are partially true, or which do- not contain the 

 whole truth ; and it is possible to believe that, while 

 many singing birds do so learn their songs, or 

 acquire a greater proficiency in them from hearing 

 the adults, in other species the song comes instinc- 

 tively, and is, like other instincts and habits, purely 

 an "inherited memory." 



