[B49]

Phil. Trans. 1773. p. 262. D. Barrington says cage birds which have food all the year sing 10 months in the year, whilst wild only about 10 weeks. (Robin & thrush).

p. 263. Disbelieves that they sing for mate's sake, but chiefly from contending with other

birds. "Superiority in song gives to birds an amazing ascendancy over others, as is well known to bird catchers." (I don't see that this refers to the contention only of the males for the females)

p. 264. No bird bigger than a blackbird (menura superba?) sings nor females of any birds. Even a sparrow has been taught a linnet's song.

p. 280. The differences in song of birds of same kind, in difft counties may be appositely compared to provincial dialects.

This subj will be more fully discussed under sexual selection

is this Barrington

Ch VI Man

[Daines Barrington. 1773. Experiments and observations on the singing of birds, by the Hon. Daines Barrington, Vice Pres. R. S. In a letter to Mathew Maty, M. D. Sec. R. S. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 63: 249-291.]