220 



NATURAL IIISTOTtY 



latter be much of a songster ; but in this 

 matter I want to be better informed. The 

 former has a variety of hurrying notes, and 

 sings all night. Some part of the song of 

 the former, I suspect is attributed to the 

 latter. We have plenty of the soft-billed 

 sort ; which Mr. Pennant had entirely left 

 out of his British Zoology, till I reminded 

 him of his omission. See British Zoology 

 last published, p. 16. 



I have somewhat to advance on the dif- 

 ferent manners in which different birds fly 

 and walk ; but as this is a subject that I 

 have not enough considered, and is of such 

 a nature as not to be contained in a small 

 space, I shall say nothing further about it 

 at present. t 



No doubt the reason why the sex of birds 

 in their first plumage is so difficult to be 

 distinguished is, as you say, because they 



are not to pair and discharge their pa- 

 *' rental functions till the ensuing Spring." 

 As colours seem to be the chief external 



* See letter xxv. to Mr. Pennant. 

 t See letter xlii. to Mr. Barringlon. 



