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NOTES 



BY OBSERVATOR. 



A most singular instance of instinct — may I call it ? — lias recently, 

 come under my observation, as happening in this town. A cuckoo 

 (Cuculus canorus) was found, just feathered, in the nest of a hedge- 

 sparrow (Accentor modularis). It was immediately taken from thence 

 and placed in a cage, containing a hen canary (Fringilla canarid). The 

 birds agreed perfectly well ; but, what is most singular, when the proper 

 food for the cuckoo (small caterpillars or larvae of the Lepidop- 

 tcra) was placed in the cage, the canary fed its young charge with that, 

 although she herself still kept to the hemp seed, &c, whieh she had 

 always been accustomed to. Can this be referred to mere instinct ? Is 

 there not in this an exhibition of some higher principle ? 



An hoopoe ( Upupa Europceus) was shot a short time since in or near 

 a village adjoining this town. I had not an opportunity of observing it 

 myself, or I should have transmitted to you an account of its plumage, 

 and other peculiarities which it may have had. The humming bird 

 sphinx (Sphinx stellatarum) has been very plentiful hereabout this 

 summer. I have seen and captured several very perfect specimens. In 

 going over lately, for the second time, " Knapp's Journal of a Natu- 

 ralist," I met with a passage which I do not remember to have parti- 

 cularly remarked before, descriptive of the song or note of the missel 

 thrush (Turdus viscivorus) , or holm screech, as it is here provincially 

 termed. The passage I proceed to transcribe : " The approach of a 

 sleety snow-storm, following a deceitful gleam in spring, is always 

 announced to us by the loud untune ful voice of the missel thrush, as it 

 takes its stand on some tall tree, like an enchanter calling up the gale. 

 It seems to have no song, no voice, but this harsh predictive note, and 

 that in a great measure ceases with the storms of spring." Most other 

 ornithological writers, however, whom I have consulted on this subject, 

 give a contrary statement. In fact, none that I recollect at present 

 mention the note of this thrush as being loud (at least unpleasantly 

 so) or untuneful. I have been led to pay particular attention to this* 

 and confess that I must disagree with Knapp, and hold with the authors 

 who describe this bird's song as not perhaps soft, but at least melo- 

 dious*. 



Plymouth, Ocfoher, 1833. 



* See Habits of Birds, p. 291. 

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