192 Our Bird Fr/e.xds. 



when it tirst breaks upon the ear ot" a listener 

 standing close under the boughs of the tree in whieli 

 the bird is hooting. 



It may seem curious, but it is nevertheless 

 true, that a human bein^- has been frii^ditened to 

 death by the note of a bird. 



A lunnber of years ago a lal)ourer"s wife in West- 

 morland took out a child one night and stood with 

 it in her arms in fmnt of her cottage whilst she 

 listened for the homecoming footfall of its daddy. 

 A Ta\vn\- ()\vl liajipt'iied a( the lime to come along, 

 and. alighting in a tree close by, gave vent to a loud 

 In >rj,',l. /(> >i'j,(,n, whieh so terrified the unfortunate 

 child that it had a tit on the spot, and sub.sc(piently 

 died Iroiii the eftects of IViglit. 



The next important elass of singers to be eon- 

 sidcred is that of the imitator.s. In it we Hnd many 

 clever birds that habitually borrt»\v notes from other 

 species, and either mix them up with thrir own or 

 tack them on at the end of their songs. 



The Starling is probably the best-known and 

 most accom})lished British example of this art. 

 and I have many times been deceived by ii. I 

 remember being on a bird's nest pliotographing 

 tour aloni*- with mv brother in the Hebrides some 

 years ago, and very desirous of tinchng a Sand- 

 piper's eggs. Whilst tramping across a ]t;(rii<'U- 

 larlv barren, rocky part of an island we suddenly 

 came upon a small loch, by tlie side of whieh 

 we sat down to rest for a while. In a few 



