OBSERVATIONS on 
165 
This cry is, as might be expected, very weak 
and querulous ; it is dropped entirely as the 
bkd grows flronger, nor is afterwards intermix- 
ed with its fong, the chirp of a Nightingale 
(for example) being hoarle and difagreeable. 
To this- definition of the chirp, I mud add, 
that it confifts of a fingle found, repeated at 
very fhort intervals, and that it is common to 
ne filings of both fexes. 
The call of a bird, is that found which it is 
*able to make when about a month old : it is, in 
mod inftances (which I happen to recollect), a 
repetition of one and the fame note \ is retain- 
ed by the bird as long as it lives \ and is com? 
mon generally to both the cock and hen. 
The next ftage in the notes of a bird is term- 
ed by the bird-catchers recording ; which word 
is probably derived from a muiical in fir u merit 
formerly ufed in England, called a recorder. 
This attempt in the neftling to ling, may be 
compared to the imperfect endeavour in a child 
to babble. I have known inftances of birds 
beginning to record when they were not a 
month old. 
This fir ft effay does not feem to have the 
lead rudiments of the future fong ; but as the 
bird grows older and drotiger, one mav begin 
to perceive what the neftling is aiming at. 
Vv hi Id the fcholar is thus endeavouring to 
ten lus fong, when he is once fure of a 
