126 CLASS AVES, 



companions, or guests, but merely as receiving food from us 

 like interested parasites. But these little musicians, the canary, 

 linnet, goldfinch, thrush, and blackbird, exhibit, as do parrots, 

 more attachment and intelligence, more sympathy with man, 

 and more general delicacy of character. They grow more fami- 

 liar, they approximate more to humanity by their amiable qua- 

 lities and a sort of fineness of tact ; they become friends rather 

 than slaves. Man, therefore, observes a very different conduct 

 to these different species of birds. The first he feeds, and domes- 

 ticates for his wants, and sacrifices them without compunction. 

 The second, he breeds, and educates almost like children, partak- 

 ing his dwelling with them, and feeding them with his own hand. 



There is little doubt, that the differences of character in the 

 various families of birds, may be clearly traced in the nature 

 of their voice. The piercing cries of the birds of prey ; the re- 

 echoing clangor of the palmipedes ; the harmonious warbling 

 of the small insectivorous and granivorous races ; the importu- 

 nate clamours of the grallse ; the shrill and sonorous call of the 

 gallinse, all mark the peculiar disposition, constitution, and 

 habits of these different tribes. 



The male birds are not only distinguished from the females by 

 their song, their fiercer character, their constitution generally 

 more vigorous, but also by external marks of great importance. 

 The beak and claws, though alike in both sexes according to the 

 species, are nevertheless stronger, and more developed in the 

 majority of the males. These last are also furnished with cer- 

 tain arms, or distinctive parts, by which they can be recognized 

 independently of the beauty of the plumage, or the vivacity of 

 their colours. Thus most part of the gallinaceous male birds 

 (except those of the American continent) have the legs armed 

 with spurs, or horny protuberances, which are never found on 

 castrated individuals, as capons, &c. Among the pheasants, 

 cocks, turkeys, sea-peacocks (tringa pugnax, Lin.) poeintades, 

 the males are provided with caruncles, either fleshy papillse, or 

 crests, more or less large on their heads ; others have beards 

 (as some of the gypcstos), a tuft of hair under the throat, a 



