﻿172 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 



through nearly all others which represent them among 

 the perchers. Thus, for instance, the long-legged 

 thrushes (Crateropodince) are the loudest of their tribe, 

 and one species, the Donacobius vociferans* of Brazil, 

 is such a perpetual monotonous and discordant babbler, 

 that we have frequently rushed out of the house to 

 drive it away. The Fluvicola nengeta, a water-chat of 

 the same country, is stated to have a loud and most 

 disagreeable voice.f We can certify this to be a fact in 

 regard to the genus Synallaocis, for we have named a 

 species from this very circumstance.^ Sinnlar instances 

 are found in the genera Brachypus, Se'isura, and many 

 others ; setting aside the wild scream of the wood- 

 peckers, which are much more discordant than that of 

 the jay. The parrots we have already mentioned. 

 Now each and all of these groups are Rasorial types, 

 that is to say, they represent the gallinaceous birds in 

 their own circles ; and while they tend to show that 

 the voices of birds have been regulated by fixed laws, 

 they serve for a list of the most discordant birds in 

 creation. The wild notes of the wading and the swim- 

 ming tribes are too partially known to admit of any 

 general conclusions being at present drawn respecting 

 them ; and, in a work of this nature, detached facts are 

 only introduced when they illustrate others of more 

 general import. 



(147.) The power of imitation, or of mocking, is 

 either natural, or is acquired in a state of captivity. We 

 have touched upon the former because it belongs to the 

 natural history of a bird; but we have no space to enter 

 upon the various acquirements in which tame birds, by 

 dint of perseverance, have been instructed. Several 

 species, to whom melody has been denied, and others 

 whose natural language is monotonous and discordant, 

 have been taught to whistle tunes and to pronounce 

 human words. The crow family and the starlings, but 



* Zool Illus. ii. 72. 



f See Latham's Synopsis, on the authority of Marcgrave. 

 % Zcol. Illus. i. Synallaxis garrulus, pi. 138. 



