Retrospective Criticism. 447 
and in the recitations of their prayers, and their lower extremities swell to 
the thickness almost of the human trunk, while no such circumstance 
takes place in the Poonah. The peculiar character of idiotism which I 
have met with in some parts of Wales bears a striking resemblance to the 
cretinism of Switzerland and Savoy. Yours, &c.—J. Murray. Carmar- 
then, April 2. 1830. 
Mermaid. —1 examined the “ thing of shreds and patches” exhibited 
some years ago as a “mermaid” in the metropolis (p. 188.), and could 
distinctly perceive the junction of the compound, for it was certainly sewed 
together, _I concluded it to be the upper part of the long-armed ape 
attached to the tail portion of a fish from the Ganges allied to the genus 
Salmo. The creature seemed to have been put to some cruel death to 
produce a horrid caricature of humanity. It was constructed in utter defi- 
ance of the laws of gravitation, and would have been in the condition of the 
man who ventured into the water with cork boots. Moreover, it would 
have required two distinct species of circulation, for a warm-blooded animal 
could never coalesce with a cold-blooded one. —J. Murray. Carmarthen, 
April 2. 1830. 
Hard Substances in the Stomach of the Alligator. — J. R. (Vol. I. p. 372.) 
observes, “ It is well known that many species of birds swallow small 
stones, for the purpose, as is supposed, of aiding digestion; but it is, I 
believe, an anomaly amongst other other orders of animals.” This assertion 
is by no means correct, as will be seen from the following extract from a 
most interesting article on the natural history of the alligator, published in 
Jameson’s Philosophical Journal, by my talented friend, Mr. Audubon of 
Louisiana : — “ In those that I have killed, and, I assure you, I have 
killed a great many, if opened, to see the contents of the stomach, or take 
fresh fish out of them, I regularly have found round masses of a hard sub- 
stance, resembling petrified wood. These masses appeared to be useful to 
the animal in the process of digestion, like those found in the craws of 
some species of birds. Ihave broken some of them with a hammer, and 
found them brittle, and as hard as stones, which they resemble outwardly 
also very much.’ (Jameson’s Journal, No. iv. p. 280.) Speaking of the 
extreme gentleness of alligators during the summer and autumn months, 
the same eloquent and observant naturalist remarks : —“ At this period of 
the year, to sit or ride on one would not be more difficult than for a child 
to mount his wooden rocking-horse.” This statement fully corroborates 
the curious account given by Waterton, in his amusing Wanderings in South 
America. — Perceval Hunter, May 6. 1829. 
The Song of Birds not innate, but acquired. — Sir, Your correspondent 
.J. S., Thurgarton (p. 145.), seems to imagine that the song of birds is not 
acquired, but innate: by which, I suppose, he must believe that a young 
bird, bred up from the nest, and never allowed to hear any one of its own 
species sing, will still sing its natural song. Ifhe supposes this, he is quite 
mistaken, as he may readily be convinced of, by noticing blackbirds or 
thrushes in a town or city, where they have not heard any wild ones sing. 
Their song will be found quite different under such circumstances, and 
sometimes even their voice disagreeable, particularly to such as have been 
used to hear them in their natural state. They have no variety in their 
note, and the greater part of their song is what they have picked up from 
people whistling to them, or the creaking of a cart or wheelbarrow, or some 
other discordant noise. I have never found any bird whatever that was 
bred from the nest, or caught very young, that sang its proper note, except 
it was placed where it could hear the wild ones sing, and then it will 
frequently learn the song of some other bird. I had a nightingale that was 
caught when young, and had never heard a wild one sing: this I kept for 
three years, and it only sang two or three notes. I then turned it out witha 
female that I had kept six years. They remained about the neighbourhood 
GG 4 
