286 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



term), and on the same occasions, by the Redbreast; but the 

 former bird varies the pitch of it in a much greater degree than 

 the latter. In both it is often accompanied by a flirt of the tail. 

 In the Redstart the extent of the repetition of this alarm is 

 generally limited to one or two, or perhaps three or four, short 

 notes ; while these occur singly and are slightly modified in the 

 "chick" of the Flycatcher. 



One of the most noticeable cries of the Redstart is "tewy," 

 preceding its "tit" or "chick" alarm, just noticed. This "tewy" 

 is reproduced, almost exactly, as one of the alarms of the 

 Whitethroat; as an alarm and call-note by the Chiffchaff and 

 Willow Warbler ; and is uttered in the songs of the Nightingale 

 (frequently its first note), Redstart, Blackcap, Whitethroat, 

 and Sedge Warbler. I have heard a Nightingale prolong this 

 cry, in a succession of rapid repetitions, into the well-known 

 long notes of the species. The long notes of the Wood Warbler, 

 and the whole song of the Willow Warbler seem to have 

 originated, like the note of the Nightingale, in mere prolonga- 

 tions of this cry ; and the effect of vocal cultivation among 

 captive birds (and human beings) gives colour to the surmise 

 that the repetition of this mellow note may have tended to 

 produce the fine tones of the Nightingale and Wood Warbler. 

 The cricket-like chirp which is uttered after the usual notes of 

 the Chiffchaff is somewhat like the single cries that form, rapidly 

 repeated, the sibilant phrases of the Wood Warbler and Grass- 

 hopper Warbler. The croak of the Nightingale seems to be 

 abbreviated in the "quare" alarm of the Whitethroat, and the 

 Blackcap's "tack": forming an analogue to the croak, "caw," 

 and "jack" of the Raven, Rook, and Jackdaw (antea). 



The coarse "jig-jig" notes in which the Swallow ends its 

 phrases are heard much more frequently in those of the Martin 

 and Sand Martin, but are never uttered by the Swift. 



The Finches have many similar cries; and those of the 

 Greenfinch may be considered as typical. These are : " did-it, 

 it-it" and "tell-tell" in the young, and in addition "tewy" and 

 " zshweo" in the adult male. The " did-it" is the common call 

 of the adult male and female, and of the Goldfinch and Siskin. 

 It is seemingly modified in the loud and frequent "philip" call- 

 note of the young and the adult male House Sparrow, and in that 

 often exact but softer reproduction of the House Sparrow's note 



