776 
ORNITHOLOGY. 
Kentifh goldfinches, and EiTex chaffinches; ‘but fome of 
the nightingale-fanciers prefer a Surrey bird to thofe of 
Middlefex. 
It maybe a feed., how birds originally came by the notes 
which are peculiar to each fpecies. The anfwer is, that 
the origin of the notes of birds, together with its gradual 
progrefs, is as difficult to he traced as that of the different 
languages in nations. The lofs of the parent-cock at the 
critical time for inftrufticn, has*doubtlefs produced thofe 
varieties which are obferved in the fong of each fpecies; 
hecaufe then the nettling has either attended to the fong 
of fome other bird, or perhaps invented fome new notes 
of its own, which are afterwards perpetuated from gene¬ 
ration to generation, till fimilar accidents produce other 
alterations. The organs of fome birds alfo are probably 
fo defedtive, that they cannot imitate properly the paren¬ 
tal note, as fome men can never articulate as they fliould 
do. Such defefls in the parent-bird muff again occafion 
varieties, becaufe thefe defeCts will be continued to their 
defendants, who will only attend to the parental long. 
Some of thefe defendants alfo may have imperfeCt organs ; 
which wiil again multiply varieties in the long. The 
truth is, that fc arcely any two birds of the fame fpecies have 
exaCtly the fame notes, if they are accurately attended to; 
though there is a general refemblance. Thus molt people 
fee no difference between one fheep and another, when a 
large flock is before them. The Ihepherd however knows 
each of them, and can fwear to them, if they are loft; as 
can the Lincolnfhire golherd to each goofe. 
. Every fpecies of bird is not equally eloquent; fome are 
copious and fluent in their utterance, while others are 
confined to a few important founds: no bird, like the filh 
kind, is quite mute; but fome are rather filent. The 
notes of the rapacious are Ihrill and piercing; and, in the 
feafon of nidification, much diverfified. Ravens, belides 
their load croak, can utter a deep and hollow note, that 
makes the woods to echo: doves coo in an amorous and 
mournful manner, and are emblems of defpairing lovers. 
All the pafierine tribes exprefs their complacency by fweet 
modulations, and various melody. Aquatic and grega¬ 
rious birds, efpecially fuch as Ihift their quarters in the 
dark, are very noify and loquacious: their perpetual cla¬ 
mour prevents them from dilperfing and loling their com¬ 
panions. No birds poffefs greater variety of expreffion, 
or a more copious language, than our common poultry. 
Of all the occurrences of their life, that of laying feems 
to be the mod important ; for, no focner has a hen dif- 
burdened herfelf, than {lie ruffles forth with a clamorous 
kind of joy, which the cock and the reft of his miftrefles 
immediately adopt: the tumult catches from yard to yard, 
and fpreads to every homeftead within hearing, tili at laft 
the whole village is in an uproar. As foon as the hen 
becomes a mother, her new relation demands a new lan¬ 
guage : (lie then runs clucking and fcreaming about; and 
feems agitated, as if poflefled. The father of the flock 
has alfo a confiderable vocabulary ; if a bird of prey pail'es 
over, with a warning voice he bids bis family beware. 
The gallant chanticleer has at command his amorous 
phrafes and his terms of defiance ; but the found by 
which he is beft known, is his crowing : by this, he has 
in all ages been diftinguifhed as the countryman’s clock 
or larum, as the watchman that proclaims the divifions 
of the night. Some of the gaudy birds, and particularly 
the peacock, have notes peculiarly grating and (hocking 
to the ear; the yelling of cats, or the braying of an afs, 
is not more difguftful. 
Conlidering the fmall fize of finging-birds, it is amaz¬ 
ing at what a diftance their notes may be heard. I bus, 
a nightingale may be very clearly diftinguilhed at more 
than half a mile, if the evening is calm. Mr. Ik. has alio 
obferved the breath of a robin, which exerted it!el(,^fo 
condenfed in a frofty morning, as to be very vifible. io 
make the comparifon however with accuracy, between the 
loudnefs of a bird’s and the human voice, a perfou fhouid 
be lent to the fpot from which the bird is heard: Mr. B, 
conceives that, on fuch trial, the nightingale would be 
diftinguifhed farther than the man. It muff have ftruck 
every one, that, in paffing under a houfe.where the win¬ 
dows are.fhut,. the finging of a bird is eafily heard, when 
at the fame time a converfation cannot be fo, though an 
animated one. And the {creams' of a peacock are heard 
at a greater diftance than the bellowing of an ox, although 
it is hardly the fiftieth part of the fize. 
The nightingale has been almoft univerfally reckoned 
the 1110ft capital of finging-birds ; and its fuperiority, de¬ 
duced from a caged bird, confifts in the following parti¬ 
culars: Its tone is much more mellow than that of any 
other bird, though at the fame time, by a proper exer¬ 
tion of its mufical powers, it can be exceffively brilliant. 
Another point of fuperiority is its continuance of fong, 
without a paufe, which is fometimes no lefs than twenty 
feconds ; and, when the refpiration became n?ceffary, it 
has been taken with as much judgment as by an opera- 
finger. The fky-lark in this particular, as well as in com- 
pafs and variety, is only fecond to the nightingale. The 
nightingale alfo lings, if the expreffion may be allowed, 
with fuperior judgment and tafte. Mr. Barrington has 
obferved, that his nightingale, which was a very capital 
bird, began foftly, like the ancient orators; refervirtg its 
breath to {'well certain notes, winch, by this means, had a 
moft aftoniffiing eft'eff. This writer adds, that the notes 
of birds which are annually imported from Afia, Africa, 
and America, both fingly and in concert, are not to be 
compared to thofe of Europe. 
The following Table, formed by Mr. Barrington, 
(agreeably to the idea of M. de Piles in eftimating the 
merits of painters,) is deffgned to exhibit the compara¬ 
tive merit of the Britifh finging-birds : in which 20is fup- 
pofed to be the poiiit of abfolute perfection. 
From the Phil. Tianf. 
vol. lxiii. 1773. Abr. 
vol. xiii. 
Mellownels 
of tone. 
Sprightly 
notes. 
Plaintive 
notes. 
O 
O 
3 
-a 
</T> 
Execution, 
Nightingale 
ift 
*9 
19 
T 9 
Sky-lark - 
ft 
1 9 
ft 
18 
18 
Wood-lark 
18 
ft 
17 
I 2 
8 
Tit-lark 
I 2 
12 
I 2 
12 
I 2 
Linnet - 
I 2 
l6 
12 
16 
18 
Goldfinch - - - 
ft 
19 
ft 
12 
12 
Chaffinch 
ft 
12 
ft 
8 
8 
Greenfinch - 
ft 
ft 
ft 
ft 
6 
Hedge-fparrow - 
6 
0 
6 
ft 
ft 
Aberdavine, or fiftcin 
2 
ft 
O 
ft 
ft 
Red-poll - 
0 
ft 
O 
ft 
ft 
Thru (h 
ft 
ft 
ft 
ft 
ft 
Blackbird 
ft 
ft 
O 
2 
2 
Robin - 
6 
16 
12 
I 2 
12 
Wren - 
O 
12 
O 
ft 
ft 
Reed-fparrow - - 
O 
4- 
O 
2 
2 
Black-cap, or Norfolk? 
mock-nightingale 3 
1 + 
12 
12 
ift 
14 
Of the Flight and Migration of Birds. 
It is remarked by a fkilful naturalift, that, to be a com¬ 
plete ornithologift, one fliould be able to diftinguifli birds 
by their air, as well as by their colours and ffiape ; on the 
o-round as well as on the wing, and in the buffi as well as 
f n the hand. For, though it can never be faid that every 
fpecies of birds has a manner peculiar to ltfelf ; yet there 
is fomewhat, in moft genera at leaft, that at firft dilcrimi- 
nates them. Put a bird in motion ; and the judicious ob- 
ferver can pronounce upon it with certainty, Nam ve/a 
iucvflu patuit. Thus the kites and buzzards fail round in 
circles, with wings expanded and motionlefs ; and it is 
from their gliding manner that the former, in the north 
of Britain, have obtained the name of gteads. There is a 
, peculiarity 
