ON THE MALE AND FEMALE OF BIRDS. 65 



the female of the same species most probably also sings : ? 

 instanced in the Thrush, the Pensile Warbler, and, I 

 suspect, the Redbreast and the Sky-Lark. But here 

 also a record of more observed facts is wanted. 



Mr. Barrixgton (see below) thinks, that the reason why 

 females do not sing is, because if they did, when sitting on 

 their eggs, they would be discovered ; this is by no means 

 a conclusive reason ; for I once discovered a Thrush's nest 

 by hearing the parent bird sing while sitting on the eggs. 

 Besides, as the cock aud hen of many species frequently 

 sit on the eggs in turn, the female's not singing could be 

 no security to the nest while the cock was sitting and sing- 

 ing there; 



Of the Raptorial Tribe, too, from many of the females 

 being larger than the males, their noise will be found, most 

 probably, more loud and striking than their masculine 

 mates. But we want, on this curious subject, a record of 

 more observed facts relative to the habits and manners of 

 Birds in their Natural state. The habits and manners of 

 domesticated Birds should not be depended upon, as they 

 become, in many instances, greatly altered by confinement. 



There is a paper in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. 

 lxii. by the Hon. Daines Barrington relative to the Sing- 

 ing of Birds, that every lover of Natural History should 

 peruse; it is not capable of condensation so as to suit this 

 Introduction. That paper ought, nevertheless, to be read 

 with caution: for the Hon Gentleman seems to have gene- 

 ralized somewhat too extensively. 



He says, for instance, that female Birds never sing; and 

 that the song of every Bird is an imitated note ; (i. e.) a 

 note which the Bird has before heard. He considers the 

 power of song in Birds as similar to that of language in 

 man, and argues, that as no language is innate, so neither 

 are the notes of Birds. I suspect, however, that although 



