ii2 BIRD LIFE GLIMPSES 



discovered that they only superficially resembled 

 them, and were really larks and so it goes on, in 

 that never-ending change-about, called classification. 

 If the pipits are not larks, why, first, do they fly like 

 them, and then, again, why do they sing like them ? 

 There is a certain resemblance of tone, even in the 

 poor, weak notes of the meadow-pipit, and no one 

 can listen to the rich and beautiful melody of the 

 tree-pipit, as it descends to earth, in a very lark-like 

 manner, singing all the time, without recognising 

 its affinity with that of the skylark, to which 

 in Germany, at any rate it is hardly inferior. Is 

 song, then, so superficial ? To me it seems a very 

 important consideration in settling a bird's family 

 relationship. How strange it would be to find a 

 dove, duck, crow, gull, eagle, parrot, &c., whose 

 voice did not, to some extent, remind one of the 

 group to which it belonged ! Is there anything 

 more distinctive amongst ourselves ? The members 

 of a family will often more resemble one another in 

 the tone of their voice than in any other particular, 

 even though there may be a strong family like- 

 ness, as well. Structure is quelque chose, no doubt ; 

 especially as, dissection not being a popular pastime, 

 one has to submit to any statement that one reads, 

 till the professor on whose authority it rests is con- 

 tradicted by some other professor as, in due time, 

 he will be, but, meanwhile, one has to wait. Classi- 

 fication, however, should take account of everything, 

 and, for my part, having heard the tree-pipit sing, 

 and seen both it and the titlark fly, I mistrust any 

 system which declares such birds to be wagtails and 

 not larks. 



