142 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



long as the fowler of St. Kilda hears no other note, he 

 is assured the birds are not suspecting him ; but if he 

 hears their watchword, ' ' birr ! birr I " he instantly de- 

 sists, and remains as quiet and motionless as possible, 

 because he knows it is the warning note of the sentinel, 

 which, in that one sound, informs all its companions of 

 the suspected approach of an enemy. Generally, after 

 lying still a few minutes, the words of assurance, 

 ' ' grog ! grog ! " are repeated, and then the 'fowler re- 

 sumes his movements. The warning given by a sentry 

 wildfowl, of whatever species, seems to strike through 

 every ear of the assemblage with electrical precision, 

 and this though numbering many hundreds ; in an in- 

 stant, heads are up, ears searching, eyes piercing, and 

 all from the effects of the sentry's single note ; then, if 

 the suspicions are confirmed by further noise or move- 

 ment of the enemy, the whole flight simultaneously 

 takes wing, and the bungling fowler's chance is gone. 

 An experienced decoyer can always tell, by the talk of 

 his fowl, when they are thinking of leaving the pond for 

 an excursion out to sea or to feed on the savannas. Just 

 before twilight the debate is opened by wild ducks, the 

 clamour of the female being loudest and most incessant. 

 This is continued some ten or twenty minutes, as if 

 they were arranging a rendezvous at some distant 

 fen, and when all is decided they quietly leave the 

 decoy in small and separate teams of from ten to twenty 

 or more, according to the extent of their numbers. 



