Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/297

Rh The songs of birds are not only often overrated, but when represented in words are usually quite unrecognizable. When you come to think of it, there are very few consonants which can be whistled, and, although a singing bird can give some idea of a t sound, a ch, or a ph in his notes, such utterances as tell and spink are utterly beyond him. In writing down the song of a bird in words, if you wish to convey any idea of the notes to your readers, you should first whistle in imitation of the bird, and then so far as possible write down the notes.

The songs of the Thrushes are capable of endless variation. I doubt if there were ever two Song-Thrushes or two Blackbirds which whistled alike, and yet, as a rule, the songs of these birds, of the Robin, and even of that most accomplished bird, the Mocking-bird (Mimus polyglottus), are unmistakable. But if you hand-rear a Blackbird or Thrush, not permitting it to hear its wild song, its notes all go wrong, and either result in a miserable Gregorian chant, or something akin thereto, or to a noisy jangle of sound which is simply appalling. I once had a hand-reared Song-Thrush which had been brought up in a poultry-yard, and subsequently placed in a room where some Canaries were kept. The song was so noisy and penetrating that I gladly sold the bird to a publican, who was wild to secure it. The natural performance of the Song-Thrush is not brilliant, but cheerful and exhilarating; yet I have heard exceptionally gifted Thrushes more than once.

Unless you can place the young of any of the Thrushes where they can hear their natural song, it is a mistake to handrear them; my hand-reared Nightingales never sang a note. It is therefore evident that the songs of these birds are not instinctive; they are not handed down from father to son as natural gifts, but are taught as children are taught. But this does not hold true of all birds, unless we believe, as some have asserted, that certain birds learn their parent's song while yet in the egg—a notion which to me seems absurd.

I have found that hand-reared Sky-Larks, however young they may be taken from the nest, sing the wild song perfectly, although they usually add parts of the songs of other birds which they may hear; and I am inclined to believe that the true song-birds, with the exception of the Mocking-bird and one or