ON THE SINGING OF BIRDS. S37 



and educated him under a linnet: the bird, 

 however, by accident, heard a goldfinch also, 

 and his song was, therefore, a mixture of the 

 linnet and goldfinch. 



I have tried several experiments, in order 

 to observe, from what circumstances birds fix 

 upon any particular note when taken from the 

 parents ; but cannot settle this with any sort 

 of precision, any more than at what period of 

 their recoi^ding they determine upon the song 

 to which they will adhere. 



I educated a young robin under a very fine 

 nightingale ; which, however, began already to 

 be out of song, and was perfectly mute in less 

 than a fortnight. 



This robin afterwards sung three parts in four 

 nightingale ; and the rest of his song was what 

 the bird-catchers call 7'ubbish, or no particular 

 note whatsoever. 



I hung this robin nearer to the nightingale 

 than to any other bird ; from which first expe- 

 riment I conceived, that the scholar would imi- 

 tate the master which was at the least distance 

 from him. 



From several other experiments, however, 

 which I have since tried, I find it to be very 

 uncertain what notes the nestlings will most 

 attend to, and often their song is a mixture ; 



VOL. II. z 



