ON THE SINGING OF BIRDS. 357 



St a fius also tokes notice of some birds speak- 

 ing, which we never attempt to teach in this 

 manner : 



" Hue doctse stipentur aves, quels nobile fandi 

 *' Jus natura dedit, plangat Phoebeius ales, 

 " Auditasque memor penitus demittere voces 

 *' Sturnus, & Aonio versee certamine picae ; 

 *' Ouique refert jungens jterata vocabula perdix, 

 " Et quae £M^o??io queritur soror orba cubili."* 



Stat. Sylv. lib. ii. eel. 4. 



* Amongst the five birds mentioned in these lines of Statius, 

 there are four which are never taught to speak at present, viz. 

 the cock, the nightingale, the common, and the red legged 

 partridge. 



As I suppose, however, that perdix signifies this last bird, and ' 



not the common partridge (as it is always translated), it is proper 

 I should here give my reasons why I dissent from others, as also 

 why I conceive that sturnus, in this passage, is not a starling, ' 



but the common partridge. 



None of the ancients have described the plumage of the per- 

 dix ; but Aristotle, Ovid, and Pliny, inform us of what mate- 

 rials the nest of this bird is composed, as well as where it is 

 placed. 



Aristotle says, that the nest is fortified with wood -^-^ and in 

 another chapter, J with thorns and ivood; neither of which are 

 used by the common partridge, which often builds in a country 

 where they cannot be procured. 



; On the contrary, M. de Buffon informs us, that the red leg- 

 ged partridge, " se tiennent sur les montagnes qui produisent 

 beaucoup de bruyeres, & de broussaiIles.§ 



-j- 'EsTrriXvya^oij.eyM \i\r]-j. Lib. V.C.I. 'SN\ach. Stephens xer^ds-Xsmaldng '' ■ 

 a covering of wood, 



X Lib. IX. c. s. The common partridge, however, makes its nest with 

 hay and straw. 



§ Cm. T. II. p. 433. 



