8 THE NATURAL HISTORY 

In fome. inftances thefe imitations feemed'ta 
require great effort. 7 a: 2 
The Nightingale. is frequently caught, and 
tamed, for the fake of his fong: but. great ate 
tentions are requifite to fucceed; his cage. fhould 
be painted green, and thaded e wiak boughs; mofs 
~ fhould be placed under his feet, and he fhould be 
plentifully fed with a ki nd: of food that ke likes; 
in fhort he muft almoft be deceived with refpeG to 
his. confinement: in this cafe the tame Night- 
ingale will fing almoft conftantly, except during 
the moulting feafon, and his fong will be fuperior 
to that of the wild Nightingale, for-be will em- 
bellith it with the excellencies of the fon gs of other 
birds, They may be.taught, to fing in parts, and 
perhaps even, to fpeak, but many of thefe ac- 
‘counts are much exaggerated; fuch for inftance 
is the flory that is told of fome canary birds be- | 
longing to the fons of the Emperor Claudius, 
which it is faid fpoke. Greek and Latin, and-every 2 
day, learnt new phrafes, aud fome not very fhort, 
to, amufe their mafters.. . 
‘There is a very wonderful Rory. of two Night 
ingales: mentioned by Gefiner, which it is much 
more amufing, to read, than, eafy to believe ; he” 
quotes.a letter, written. as he profelled to fup- 
pote; by a pee of veracity; which relates 
that 

