V 
THE PHILOSOPHY OF BIRDS’ NESTS 
105 
He then goes on to say that birds taken from the nest at two 
or three weeks old have already learnt the call-note of their 
species. To prevent this the birds must be taken from the 
nest when a day or two old, and he gives an account of a 
goldfinch which he saw at Knighton in Radnorshire, and 
which sang exactly like a wren, without any portion of the 
proper note of its species. This bird had been taken from 
the nest at two or three days old, and had been hung at a 
window opposite a small garden, where it had undoubtedly 
acquired the notes of the wren without having any oppor- 
tunity of learning even the call of the goldfinch. 
He also saw a linnet, which had been taken from the 
nest when only two or three days old, and which, not having 
any other sounds to imitate, had learnt almost to articulate, 
and could repeat the words, “ Pretty Boy,” and some other short 
sentences. 
Another linnet was educated by himself under a vengolina 
(a small African finch, which he says sings better than any 
foreign bird but the American mocking bird), and it imitated 
its African master so exactly that it was impossible to dis- 
tinguish the one from the other. 
Still more extraordinary was the case of a common house 
sparrow, which only chirps in a wild state, but which learnt 
the song of the linnet and goldfinch by being brought up 
near those birds. 
The Rev. W. H. Herbert made similar observations, and 
states that the young whinchat and wheatear, which have 
naturally little variety of song, are ready in confinement to 
learn from other species, and become much better songsters. 
The bullfinch, whose natural notes are weak, harsh, and 
insignificant, has nevertheless a wonderful musical faculty, 
since it can be taught to whistle complete tunes. The night- 
ingale, on the other hand, whose natural song is so beautiful, 
is exceedingly apt in confinement to learn that of other birds 
instead. Bechstein gives an account of a redstart which had 
built under the eaves of his house, which imitated the song 
of a caged chaffinch in a window underneath, while another 
in his neighbour’s garden repeated some of the notes of a 
blackcap, which had a nest close by. 
These facts, and many others which might be quoted, 
