. 
448 Retrospective Criticism. 
until the time of their migration in autumn ; in spring they returned, or, at 
any rate, the male, for it sang in the front of my habitation all the first 
months of summer. I recognised it immediately on its arrival by its imper- 
fect song, which it had not improved in the least: it had a nest, and reared 
its young just by ; but whether the female was the same that I set off with 
it, | could not ascertain, as I had no mark to recognise her by. This, I 
think, proves that nightingales might be colonised in any situation where 
there were none before, by turning a pair or two of old ones out in spring, 
which would, without doubt, breed, if in a favourable situation, and their 
young would most probably return there the following season. This is 
certainly far preferable to hatching their eggs under other birds, though I 
do not know that it would make much difference in their song, as they 
would most probably mix with others of their own species, in the countries 
they visit in winter, where I suspect they sing the whole of the time, after 
they leave this country, as they frequently do in a cage all the winter, if 
kept in a warm situation, and supplied with food that they are partial to. 
T had one began singing the first of last December, and continued in full 
song all the month, as loud and fine as if in the month of May. Another 
bird that [bred from the nest, Saxicola Rubétra, or whinchat, turned out to 
be one of the finest singing birds I ever heard; but it had scarcely any 
thing of its natural song, but all acquired, mocking every bird that it heard 
sing, and imitating their voices as well as notes. Amongst them it had the 
amazingly loud song of the missel thrush, which sang in Sir H. Wilson’s 
park, near the house where I then resided, during the winter and spring, 
nearly all day long (this will be an answer to J. B. on the song of the missel 
thrush. The whinchat sang this song so loud and exact, that we could 
not bear it in the room when singing; it also sang the notes of all the 
other birds that were with it in the cages so exactly that they could not be 
distinguished apart. The following are the birds it imitated : — the larger 
whitethroat, the willow-wren, redstart, nightingale, and wheatear. I have at 
present some blackcaps that were bred up from their nest, which, having 
frequently heard wild ones sing, sing their proper notes; but, besides 
this, they sing the notes of many other birds. The redstart they imitate so 
exactly that they cannot be distinguished ; also the thrush, which they hear 
sing in the gardens: they have part of the song of the nightingale and 
whitethroat, and also the exact call of the canary bird and siskin (or aber- 
devine), and will learn the song of any bird in a very short time. I think 
this will show that the song of birds is not innate, but acquired ; for even in 
a wild state some birds of the same species have a much greater variety of 
notes than others, and are much better songsters; and many birds, parti- 
cularly the blackcap, will imitate several other birds, even in a wild state. 
Tam, &c.— R. Sweet. Pomona Place, March 29. 1830. 
The Kingfisher ; in reply to J. R. (Voi. I. p. 457.) — Sir, Very pressing 
engagements, and a severe and long ilness, have prevented my noticing the 
observations of your correspondent J. R., relative to the habits of the king- 
fisher. We are certainly much obliged to J. R. for the facts concerning 
that bird which are there stated; but why my statements concerning it are 
to be questioned, because J. R. has found a solitary exception, I am at a 
loss to comprehend. As to the Ravensbourne itself, I am, I presume, 
much better acquainted with the banks of that river than J. R., having 
resided for many years at Ladywell, Lewisham, and been on its banks at 
every hour of the day, from four o’clock in the morning till after sunset ; 
and from Deptford all the way up to beyond Rushy Green. J have never 
once seen a king fisher ; and I did therefore mention in my work (Ornitho- 
Jogia) the circumstance of a kingfisher being seen between Bromley and 
Beckenham: and I do still consider the fact as rare; as much so as that 
related by J. R. In regard to my still more extensive acquaintance with 
the birds of Somersetshire, I can say that I never have seen the kingfisher 
