6 9 o APPENDIX. 



cies to fix upon, that may be confidered as in 

 capable of fuch imitations ; for it is very clear, 

 from ieveral experiments before dated, that 

 the utmoft endeavours will not be wanting in the 

 bird, if he is endowed with the proper organs. 



It can therefore only be fettled by educating a 

 bird, under proper circumftances, whether he is 

 thus qualified or not ; for if one was only to de- 

 termine this point by conjecture, one mould fuppofe 

 that a fparrow would not imitate the fong of the 

 linnet, nor that a nightingale or partridge could be 

 taught to fpeak. 



And here it may not be improper to explain 

 what I mean by birds learning to imitate the notes 

 of others, or the human fpeech. 



parting, which I mull admit are not fo ftrong as with regard 

 to the import of the word perdix. If my arguments are 

 not therefore fo convincing on this head, the number of birds 

 taught to fpeak by the Romans, and not by us, muft be redu- 

 ced to three, as the ftarling is frequently learned to talk in 

 the prefent times. 



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

 Jfurnus, or the materials of its neft, as in the former inftance, 

 I muft reft my conjecture (fuch as it is) on the two birds, al- 

 moft following each other in thefe lines of Statius; on the 

 common partridge being called ftarna to this day by the Ita- 

 lians, and upon the Romans having had otherwife no name 

 for our partridge (which is a very common bird in Italy), if 

 fturnus is fuppoied to fignify only zjlarling. 



if 



