FACULTIES OF THE MIND. 281 



they do not hear the sounds which others utter, they have 

 consequently no guide to their power of imitation. By 

 operating upon their natural cries^ and by the help of signs, 

 they may be taught to speak, but their voice is unequal 

 and harsh. It is equally possible to be able to distinguish 

 sounds, and, to a limited extent, the things which they are 

 intended to represent, without possessing the capability of 

 voice necessary for imitating them. This is conspicuous- 

 ly the case in the dog and horse, which understand the lan- 

 guage of command, encouragement, and approbation, and 

 yet are incapable of producing any analogous sounds. The 

 parrot, mock-bird, and many others, can learn to imitate 

 many kinds of sound, without comprehending the things of 

 which they are the signs. By much trouble, however, 

 they may be made to perceive the connection, and even to 

 avail themselves of their knowledge, to express their wants 

 or desires. It is necessary, however, to state this impor- 

 tant limitation, that these sounds communicate information 

 to man alone, their instructor, and do not constitute any 

 channel of communication between individuals of their own 

 species. 



The most obviously acquired sounds in the inferior ani- 

 mals, may be observed in the Singing of Birds. If a 

 young linnet, for example, be taken from the nest, and 

 brought up in the company of the nightingale or lark, in- 

 stead of learning to utter the musical notes of its own spe- 

 cies, it imitates the song of that bird which it has been ac- 

 customed to hear, more or less perfectly, according to the 

 state of its organs. In this mode of educating singing birds, 

 there is frequently displayed a power of selection on the 

 part of the young scholar. " I educated, (says the Hon- 

 ourable DAINES BARRINGTON*,) a nestling robin under 



* Experiments and Observations on the Singing Birds. Phil. Trans* 

 vol. Ixiii. p. 258. 



