152 



CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



" tuned his pipe and sung his lay," and poured forth his full notes in 

 sweet profusion ; but he had no influence on the other. Wanting his 

 cage, I turned him in a large one in a room upstairs, where I gave him 

 the companionship of a young unmoulted goldfinch, which moulted and 

 sung. But the other was obdurate ; it seemed as if cheerfulness or 

 music never touched his breast, and he appeared as if he was deter- 

 mined it never should issue from it. At length his cheerful little 

 companion died ; and as the winter was now approaching — it being 

 Christmas time — I thought the room would be too cold for him. * I 

 purchased a small cage for him, and brought him to my parlour in 

 companionship with his former friends. For two days he sat on his 

 perch, u burly and big," with his usual silence. On the following day, 

 on my return home, I was informed that he had sung ; I thought there 

 must have been some mistake. But on the next morning I had a con- 

 vincing proof by a lengthened strain ; since that time he seems to be 

 priding himself in emulating the others, always responding, and very 

 frequently preceding and calling to time. 



It really is astonishing to see the emulation and activity displayed 

 by this uncertain and hitherto idle bird. He appears as if he was 

 desirous of repaying for his long-suspended song by its now peculiar 

 fulness and continuity ; and as if proud of his acquirements, even before 

 daylight, when the fire is lighted^ he will begin with a short prelude of 

 invitation to the other. There is a peculiarity in the character of this 

 bird, who should thus break out with such emulation, energy, quick- 

 ness of action, and melody of song, after a quiescence of two years. 



Old Dawley Park, Jan. 27. Phi loaves. 



Want of a system op ornithology. — In reading your Field 

 Naturalist's Magazine — which, I may stop to say, pleases me — I find a 

 disregard of the system of Linnaeus in your ornithological remarks, 

 without the adaptation of any other system in its place ; each writer on 

 that history seems to give his own terms, or adopts those of another, but 

 I cannot discover that any general system is pursued If the system of 

 Linnaeus is exploded — which I make no doubt subsequent discoveries 

 in the science have tended to nullify — will you be pleased to inform 

 me if any other system on ornithology is established, and what are its 

 principal features, divisions, and characters * ? 



I would suggest — would not the system of ornithology make a 



* There are several systems, such as Teraminck 1 ?, Vieillot's, Hie Quinary, as 

 I have sketched in " Architecture of Birds."' — Edit. 



