ON THE SINGING OF BIRDS. 359 



speak, and as I have shewn that a sparrow may 

 be taught to sing the linnet's note, I scarcely 

 know^ what species to fix upon, that may be 

 considered as incapable of such imitations ; for 

 it is very clear, from several experiments before 

 stated, that the utmost endeavours will not be 

 wanting in the bird, if he is endowed with the 

 proper organs. 



It can therefore only be settled by educating 

 a bird, under proper circumstances, whether he 

 is thus qualified or not; for if one was only to 

 determine this point by conjecture, one should 

 suppose that a sparrow would not imitate the 



tridge is, that the Italians to this day call this bird peryiice, and 

 the common sort starna* . - 



This also now brings me to the proofs, of sturnus in this pas- 

 sage of Statins signifying the common partridge, and not the 

 starling, which I must admit are not so strong as with regard to 

 the import of the word perdix. If my arguments are not there- 

 fore so convincing on this head, the number of birds taught to 

 speak by the Romans, and not by us, must be reduced to three, 

 as the starling is frequently learned to talk in the present times. 



As I cannot argue from the description of the habits of the 

 sturnus, or the materials of its nest, as in the former instance, 

 I must rest my conjecture (such as it is) on the two birds, almost 

 following each other in these lines of Statins; on the common 

 partridge being called starna to this day by the Italians, and 

 upon the Romans having had otherwise no name for our par- 

 tridge (which is a very common bird in Italy), {[sturnus is sup- 

 posed to signify only a starling. 



* See Oline, 



