ON THE NOTES OF BIRDS. 39 
under which they are bred, thus clearly establishing 
the validity of the first experiment made with the 
young Greenfinches. Shortly after, the Redbreast 
began to record*, but in so low a tone that it was 
scarcely possible to trace the rudiments of its future 
song in those early attempts. As it gained strength 
and confidence, however, its native notes became very 
apparent, and they continued to improve in tone till 
the termination of July, when it commenced’ moult- 
ing, which did not, as was expected, put a stop to its 
recording +. About the middle of August it was in 
deep moult, and by the beginning of October had 
acquired most of its new feathers. It now began to 
execute its song in a manner calculated to remove 
every doubt as to its being that of the Redbreast, 
had any such previously existed}; its habits also 
* The first endeavours of a young bird to sing are termed 
recording. 
+ The important operation of moulting undoubtedly affects 
the singing of wild birds very considerably, and may, perhaps, 
be a principal cause of their silence in the month of August. 
The London bird-catchers are well aware of the advantages of 
oceasioning their call-birds to moult prematurely, which by this 
expedient are brought into full song while other birds of their 
species are nearly mute. For an account of the manner in 
which this is effected, see Pennant’s ‘British Zoology,’ vol. ii. 
p. 332. 
+ Montagu, in the Introduction to the ‘ Ornithological Dic- 
tionary,’ p. 29, states, in a note, that “‘ a Goldfinch, hatched and 
fostered by a Chaffinch, retained its native notes,” but does not 
give any further particulars respecting this bird. 
