SINGING-BIRDS. 



29 



identify their own kindred, and there is reason to believe 

 that if one of them had never heard the note of his own 

 parents he would still sing like all his predecessors. In 

 a state of confinement birds will occasionally imitate the 

 notes of other species, and in this respect they differ 

 entirely from quadrupeds. 



The song of birds seems to be the means used by the 

 male, not only to woo the female, but to call her to him- 

 self when absent. Before he has chosen his mate he 

 sings more loudly than at any subsequent period. The 

 different males of the same species seem at that time 

 to be vying with each other, and the one that has the 

 loudest and most varied song is likely to be the first 

 attended by a mate. When the two birds are employed 

 in building their nest, the male constantly attends his 

 partner and sings less loudly and frequently than before. 

 This comparative silence continues until the female be- 

 gins to sit. During incubation the male again sings 

 with emphasis at his usual hours, perched upon some 

 neighboring tree, as if to assure her of his presence, but 

 more probably to entice her away from the nest. It is 

 a curious fact that male birds seem to be displeased to 

 a certain extent while their mate is sitting, on account 

 of her absence, and are more than usually vociferous, 

 sometimes with the evident intention of coquetting with 

 other females. 



After the young brood is hatched the attention of 

 the male bird is occupied with the care of his off- 

 spring, though he is far less assiduous in his parental 

 duties than the female. If we watch a pair of Eobins 

 when they have a nest full of young birds, we shall see 

 the female bring the greater part of their food. The 

 male bird continues to sing until the young have left 

 their nest ; but if there is to be no other brood, he 

 becomes immediately silent. If, early in the season, a 



