248 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



two others, rarely learn additional notes after they have become 

 adult. There are notable exceptions to this rule, inasmuch as 

 an Alario Finch (Alario alario) which I possessed for some years 

 entirely forgot its melodious little song, and adopted the far less 

 pleasing song of a Norwich Canary ; and my Brazilian Hang- 

 nest (Icterus jamacaii) has copied to perfection the almost 

 metallic sharp cry of a Blue-bearded Jay (Cyanocorax cyano- 

 pogon), in addition to his own far more pleasing notes. 



Certainly the adult birds which are the best mimics, and are 

 easily taught to talk and imitate the cries of various animals, of 

 trumpets, jews'-harps, and the like, are not to be sought among 

 gifted songsters, but among those whose natural cries are more 

 or less harsh and uripleasing — such as the Parrots, Crows, and 

 Starlings. The capacity of some of the Psittacidce in this respect 

 is practically unlimited. The late Mr. J. Abrahams had a Blue- 

 fronted Amazon which I heard sing the whole of the words of 

 two comic songs, and then whistle the tune of a third — a feat 

 which, I suppose, has never been surpassed even by the best 

 instructed Grey Parrot. 



If it were possible — though, unhappily, it rarely is so — the 

 best way to record the songs of birds would be unquestionably 

 by musical notation. My friend Mr. Charles A. Witchell has 

 done much in this direction, but he himself is constrained to 

 admit " that there is no instrument which will automatically 

 reproduce the different tones of birds, and that difference of tone 

 or of timbre is generally more important than difference in 

 musical pitch." For this reason I think it better for anyone 

 who has a good ear to express the songs of birds as closely as 

 he can in words ; but, unless he really has a correct appreciation 

 of sound, it is wiser to let the songs of birds severely alone. 



As with the songs, so is it with the call-notes, notes of alarm, 

 or defiance ; these are wrongly rendered in hundreds of cases, and 

 are frequently transposed, the note of anger being spoken of as 

 the call-note, or the reverse. These are points that need very 

 careful testing before they are put on record ; and an observant 

 aviculturist, who has not only watched birds in their native 

 haunts, but has had them constantly before him in moderately 

 large aviaries, is in a better position to form a correct judgment 

 of the meanings of these notes than the collector. 



