276 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



same order of succession, is so contrary to what later and more 

 careful observers have recorded, that it discounts materially the 

 value of his other observations. 



In July and August, 1890, Mr. Charles A. Witchell published 

 in ' The Zoologist ' two papers, giving certain original theories 

 of the origin and development of the voice and of the songs of 

 birds. The subject was then scientifically so unworked, that it 

 was not easy for ornithologists to determine the accuracy of 

 Mr. Witchell's records, or the value of his theories ; and though 

 six years have since elapsed, we are yet without any record of as 

 systematic and extensive a discussion of the subject whereby his 

 propositions can be finally tested. 



In the intervening period, however, Mr. Witchell has further 

 considered his position and elaborated his themes, which are 

 now fully stated, though of necessity with some brevity of illus- 

 tration, in the volume under notice. 



In this book the author propounds a theory of the evolution 

 of the voice in birds, and also necessarily discusses, in connec- 

 tion with the main theme, the influence of heredity and imitation. 

 Although the general scheme of his earlier papers (above referred 

 to) is here followed, the author does not travel quite so far in his 

 conclusions ; and we think he is wise in thus restricting himself 

 to so new a field as that upon which he has entered. 



The " Introduction" informs the reader of the circumstances 

 under which the study of the subject was commenced, and briefly 

 states how the various themes dealt with in later pages were 

 suggested by the habits of the birds observed. We also learn 

 somewhat of the author's method of work, and note the per- 

 severance with which he accumulated almost daily records for a 

 period of eighteen months, before making any comparison of 

 the materials collected. 



In Chapter I., " The Origin of the Voice," he suggests a new 

 theory, namely, that the voice may have been of accidental 

 origin, produced by the bodily contortions of animals during 

 combat, and as a result of such contortions, rather than as a 

 direct result of the excitement of the sensorium, — the cause 

 suggested by Darwin (' Expression of the Emotions,' pp. 83, 84). 

 Mr. Witchell adduces tie Newt, as an animal which still exhibits 

 the accidental production of the voice, first giving utterance to a 

 vocal sound when wriggling in the grasp of an enemy, and thus 



