Genre:

Miscellaneous, Letter, Serial

Subjects:

Ornithology, Animal Behaviour, Vivisection

People mentioned:

Francis Bacon (1st Viscount St Alban), Athanasius Kircher , Pierre Belon

    Recounts the author's 'experiments and observations' on the 'singing of birds', 'which were chiefly intended to determine, whether birds had any innate ideas of the notes, or song, which is supposed to be peculiar to each species' (462). Asserts that this is 'a subject which has never before been scientifically treated' (459). Describes the singing habits, rearing, behaviour, and habitat of a number of different bird species. Reports: 'I procured a cock nightingale, a cock and hen blackbird, a cock and hen rook, a cock linnet, as also a cock and hen chaffinch, which that very eminent anatomist, Mr Hunter, some years since, was so obliging as to dissect for me, and begged that he would particularly attend to the state of the organs in the different birds, which might be supposed to contribute to singing' (463). Later relates the results of these comparative dissections.