Note 4 — NATURAL HISTORY OF CAGE BIRDS.

Besides, we cannot say that there is a want of variety in this music. I may again quote Mr. Barington (Phil. Trans.): “The death of the male parent, just at the time his instructions were required, will occasion some variety in the song of the young ones, who will thus have their attention directed to other birds, which they will imitate or modify according to the conformation of their larynx; and they will thus create new variations, which will afterwards be imitated by their young ones, and become hereditary, until a circumstance of a similar nature may introduce greater variations. If care was taken there need not be two birds that sung exactly alike: however, these varieties are confined within certain limits.”—Translator.