[ * 5 6 1 
other founds to imitate, almod articulated the words 
■pretty boy> as well as fome other fhort fentences : I 
heard the bird mvfelf repeat the words pretty boy j 
and Mr. Matthews allured me, that he had neither 
the note or call of any bird whatfoever. 
This talking linnet died lad year, and many people 
went from London to hear him fpeak. 
The goldfinch I have before mentioned, was 
fteared in the town of Knighton in Radnorfhire, 
which I happened to hear, as I was walking by the 
houfe where it was kept. 
I thought indeed that a wren was Tinging; and I 
went into the houfe to inquire after it, as that little 
bird feldom lives long in a cage. 
The people of the houfe, however, told me, that 
they had no bird but a goldfinch, which they con- 
ceived to ling its own natural note, as they called 
it ; upon which I ftaid a confiderable time in the 
room, whilft its notes were merely thofe of a wren , 
without the lead: mixture of goldfinch. 
On further inquiries, I found that the bird had 
been taken from the ned when only two or three 
days old, that it was hung in a window which was 
oppofite to a fmall garden, whence the nedling had 
undoubtedly acquired the notes of the wren, without 
having had any opportunity of learning even the call 
of the goldfinch. 
Thefe fadls which I have dated feem to prove 
very decifively, that birds have not any innate ideas 
of the notes which are fuppofed to be peculiar to 
each fpecies. But it will poflibly be afked, why in 
$ wild date they adhere fo deadily to the fame fong. 
