356 APPENDIX. VI. 



they often mistake for the notes of their own 

 species. 



I have before observed, that perhaps no bird 

 may be said to sing which is larger than a black 

 bird, though many of them are taught to speak : 

 the smaller birds, however, have this power of 

 imitation ; though perhaps the larger ones have 

 not organs which may enable them, on the other 

 hand, to sing. 



We have the following instances of birds be- 

 ing taught to speak, in the time of the Greeks 

 and Romans, upon which we never try the same 

 experiment. Moschus addresses nightingales 

 and swallows which were thus instructed : 



Moschi Idyl. III. 



•, Pliny mentions both a cock, thrush, and 

 nightingales, which articulated :* 



" Habebant & CcEsares juvenes turdum,^ 

 " item luscinias Graeco atque Latino sermone 

 " dociles, prseterea meditantes in diem, & as- 

 " sidue nova loquentes longiore etiam con- 

 " textu." 



. ^'' * iii.X. c. 21 &42. 



■\ Ibid. The other turdus belonged to the Empress Agrip- 



