LEARNING BIRD LANGUAGE 209 



impulse of fear that at times sets herds of cattle 

 and horses in motion, or drives a large body of 

 men to panic. 



Hunters and woodsmen depend greatly on the 

 birds for news of the forest. Sometimes a catbird 

 or a jay discovers their presence and alarms their 

 game; but to repay that, the birds often tell men 

 that game is approaching. A bird especially 

 disliked among duck hunters is the godwit. It is 

 a regular alarm clock, while other ducks heed its 

 warnings every time, to the great disgust of hunters 

 hidden in blinds, or shooting over decoys. 



By a careful study of bird calls, cries, and notes, 

 any good imitator can talk with more birds than 

 one would imagine possible. I know a man who 

 can toll an oriole across an orchard, and another 

 who can bring a lark across a meadow. My hus- 

 band taught my parrot a perfect "Bob White" 

 call. One day there was a knock at the door and 

 when I opened it a man said: "There is a quail 

 among your rose bushes. My wife is ill, and if 

 you don't mind I'd like to get it mighty well." 



I asked him to step inside, and showed him the 

 "quail" he wanted to shoot. He surely was sur- 

 prised. 



Unfortunately, my mouth is so very large and 

 my tongue so contrary I can not whistle, so my 

 repertoire is very limited. I learned the screech 

 owl call, practising a poem. I tried it on an owl 

 and got an answer. By accident I learned that 



