Xli CONTENTS. 



Page 



Anecdote of a Starling 317 



Probable explanation of mocking in birds . . . 319 



The Polyglot-chat 320 



The Blue-jay 323 



Mocking-bird of America ..... 325 



Comparison with the Nightingale .... 332 



The Ratisbon Nightingale ..... 335 

 Colonel 0' Kelly's grey Parrot . . . .337 



Testimony of the Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert . . 338 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



Longevity of Birds 340 



Physical causes of old age ..... 340 



Diseases in a state of nature ..... 342 



The Raven, the Pelican, and the Eagle . . . 345 



Fabulous account of the Eagle .... 348 



Grey-headed Sparrows 350 



CHAPTER XIX. 



The Phoanix. the Bernacle Goose .... 351 



Account of the Phoenix by Herodotus . . . 351 



Account by Tacitus 354 



Probable origin of the legends .... 356 



Fanciful accounts thereof ..... 357 



Account from Bruce ...... 359 



Anecdote from Pliny ...... 362 



The Bernacle, or Claik Goose 362 



Ocular witnesses of its fabulous origin . . . 363 



Gerard's figure 369 



Its true history known before 1280 . . . 373 



Origin of the legends ...... 375 



The Flying-fish. 378 



