BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 63 



words, and even sentences. We went, one morn- 

 ing", with a friend, to see a collection of birds 

 belonging to a gentleman in Antigua Street, 

 Edinburgh ; and among these were some very 

 fine starlings — one, in particular, which cost five 

 guineas. Breakfast was ready before we entered 

 the room. Wlien the bird was produced, it flew 

 to its master's hand, and distinctly pronounced, 

 " Good morning, Sir — breakfast — breakfast." It 

 afterwards hopped to the table, examined every 

 cup ; and, while thus employed, it occasionally re- 

 peated, " Breakfast — breakfast — bread and butter 

 for Jack — tea, tea — bread for Jack — pretty Jack 

 — pretty Jack." One thing we observed was this, 

 it often said the same word or sentence twice over 

 perhaps in imitation of the person who taught it. 

 M. Gerandin mentions, that a friend of his,. M. 

 Thirel, which, when the bell rang for mass, called 

 on its mistress by name, and thus addressed her, 

 — " Mademoiselle, don't you hear the summons 

 for mass ? — Take your book, and return quickly to 

 feed your little rogue." Pliny says, that " the 

 young Caesars had starlings and nightingales, do- 

 cile in the Greek and Latin languages, which made 

 continual progress, and prattled phrases of consi« 



