280 BIRDS OF THE ROCKIES 



the couple that were attending to the gastrononiieal 

 wants of their children, one of the adults played a yodel 

 on his trombone sounding like this : " Ka-ka-ka, k-wilt, 

 k-wilt, k-wilt,'"* the first three short syllables enunciated 

 ra[)idlv, and the " k-wilts " in a more measured wav, 

 with a peculiar guttural intonation, giving the full sound 

 to the k and re. The birds became very shv when they 

 thought themselves shadowed, not understanding what 

 mv pursuit might imply, and they gave utterance to 

 harsh cries of warning that were different from any that 

 had preceded. It was presently followed by a soft and 

 friendly chatter, as if the birds were having an inter- 

 view that was exclusively inter se. Then one of them 

 startled me bv breaking out in a loud, high kev, cry- 

 ing, " Quick ! quick ! cjuick ! '^ as fast as he could fling 

 the syllables from his tongue. This, being translated 

 into our human vernacular, obviously meant, " Hurry 

 off! danger! dang-er ! " A few minutes of silence fol- 

 lowed the outburst, while the birds ambled farther 

 away, and then the echoes were roused by a most 

 raucous call, " Go- ware ! go- ware ! go-ware ! '"' in a voice 

 that wQuld have been enough to strike terror to the 

 heart of one who was not used to uncanny sounds in 

 solitary places. After that outburst the family flew 

 off, and I could hear them talking the matter over 

 among themselves far up the mountain side, no doubt 

 congratulating one another on their hair-breadth 



