20 SEPTEMBER 1930, Page 15

A quality in which birds excel mammals is their ear

for music. Though bird's song has little relation with human music some few birds can actually sing true intervals, and almost all are in some measure mimes. Much the quickest way to tame birds is to mimic their own notes. I know one tame partridge who would follow his master like a dog and come tearing to his side from any distance in answer to a whistle that was peculiarly well attuned to the bird's note. His musical gift was one of the secrets of the man's peculiar success with animals. We hear of dogs who recog- nize so many score of words, but I doubt whether any mammal has the ear for note and intonation possessed by most birds, with the starling at the very top of the tree.

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