ON THE NOTES OF BIRDS. 33 
To be certain that nestlings will not have even the 
calls of their species, Mr. Barrington remarks that 
they should be taken when only a few days old. He 
then proceeds to notice instances of a Linnet and a 
Goldfinch taken at this early period, which came 
under his observation, acknowledging at the same 
time his own inability to rear birds of so tender an 
age. The first, he states, ‘‘ belonged to Mr. Matthews, 
an apothecary at Kensington, which, from a want of 
other sounds to imitate, almost articulated the words 
‘pretty boy,’ as well as some other short sentences ;” 
and the owner assured him that it had neither the 
note nor call of any bird whatsoever. The Goldfinch 
had acquired the song of the Wren, without appearing 
to have a note or even the call of the Goldfinch. 
From these experiments and observations, of which 
I have given a concise, but, I trust, impartial account, 
Mr. Barrington was led to conclude that “ notes in 
birds are no more innate than language is in man, 
but depend entirely upon the master under which 
attend to the instructions of the parent birds only, disregarding 
the notes of all others. That young birds receive instructions 
in singing from the old ones, appears to be a notion of great 
antiquity (vide Aristot. ‘Histor. Animal.’ lib. iv. cap. ix.; Plinii 
‘Histor. Natural.’ lib. x. cap. xxix.). The celebrated Count 
Buffon seems to have entertained a similar opinion (see his 
‘Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux,’ tome cinquiéme, p. 47). Dar- 
win also, in ‘ Zoonomia,’ vol. i. p. 155, lends it the sanction of 
his authority. 
nN 
