Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/405

Rh much more infrequently are they understood! Mr. Witchell endeavours to act the part of interpreter, to give us the reason for these avian cries and call-notes. Now and then a Capt. Burton appears, who can quickly master any human dialect and make it his own, but how little we still know of the languages used by the other living creatures who are our contemporaries! Probably sound is not alone their method of communication, but that the gesture-language common to primitive man and mutes may be very largely used by non-human creatures. This little book is worth the study of all lovers of natural life; it is an insight into the loves, hates, and fears of the birds around us. Whether their cries can be rendered by musical symbols is at least open to doubt, but we are very thankful for the attempt. We are glad to be interested in our friendly nuisance the Sparrow. "The male Sparrow, when perched comfortably in sunshine, often rehearses his vocabulary, in a way which indicates an attempt at song. If reared under birds of another species in a cage, the Sparrow has their notes and not Sparrow-notes, though he retains the Sparrow tone of voice, and he may then become quite a pleasant singer."

title of this little book is not quite a happy one, though its contents are a series of clippings from various sources which may be said to be "all about birds." Unfortunately, many of these bear no reference to their authority, and hence possess little value. They likewise appear to be somewhat undigested and ill-arranged, the same heading appearing in different parts of the book with contrary information. Thus: "The rarest existing Bird" appears on pp. 67 and 158; on the first we are told it is the "Horned Screamer"; on the second it is described as "a certain kind of Pheasant from Annam." The information as to "the Great Auk" on pp. 108 and 155 does not agree in details. The remarks as to the Sparrow on p. 52 seem a "little previous," and a perusal of Mr. Tegetmeier's book (ante, p. 375) might possibly produce some qualification of assertion.