AKD THE OBSEETATIOJf OF BIEDS. 69 



shrill and piercing, and about the season of nidification much 



diversified The notes of our hawks much resemble those of 



the king of birds. Owls have very expressive notes ; they hoot in 

 a fine vocal sound, much resembling the vox hiimana, and reducible 

 by a pitch pipe to a musical key. This note seems to express com- 

 placency and rivahy among the males ; they use also a quick call 

 and a horrible scream, and can snore and hiss when they mean to 

 menace. Eavens, besides their loud croak, can exert a deep and 

 solemn note that makes the woods to echo ; the sound of a crow 

 is strange and ridiculous ; rooks, in the hatching season, attempt 

 sometimes, in the gaiety of their hearts, to sing, but with no great 

 success ; the parrot kiad have many modulations of voice, as appears 

 by their aptitude to learn human sounds ; doves coo in a mommful 

 manner, and are emblems of despairing lovers ; the woodpecker 

 sets up a sort of loud and hearty laugh ; the fem-'Owl, or goat- 

 sucker, from the dusk till daybreak, serenades his mate with the 

 clattering of castanets. All the tuneful Passeres express their 

 complacency by sweet modulations, and a variety of melody. The 

 swallow, .... by a shrill alarm, bespeaks the attention of the 

 other Hirundines, and bids them be aware that the hawk is at hand. 

 Aquatic and gregarious birds, especially the nocturnal, that shift 

 their quarters in the dark, are very noisy and loquacious, as cranes, 

 wild-geese, wild-ducks, and the like ; their perpetual clamour 

 prevents them from dispersing and losing theii- companions." 



In so extensive a subject, as Gilbert White says, sketches and 

 outlines are as much as can be expected, for it would be endless to 

 instance all the infinite variety of the feathered nation. 



The number of species which have more or less claim to be in- 

 cluded in a list of British Birds is 395. Of these, in round numbers, 

 130 are Residents ; 100 Periodical Migi-ants; and 30 Annual Visi- 

 tants ; the remainder being Rare and Accidental Visitants. 



By Residents I mean those species which rear their young annu- 

 ally in the British Islands, and are to be found in some part or 

 other of the United Kingdom thi-oughout the year. Of these many, 

 like the kestrel, song thrush, linnet, and pied wagtaU, are par- 

 tially migratory. Nevertheless, as specimens of all may be obtained 

 in some locality or other during every month in the year, they may 

 be regarded for all practical pui-poses as residents. 



Periodical Migrants are those which visit us annually and regu- 

 larly at particular seasons, and whose advent and departure may be 

 dated in advance with considerable precision. Of these we have 

 familiar examples in the swallow and nightingale, which come 

 here for the summer, and the redwing and fieldfare, which spend 

 the winter with us ; whilst others, like most of the sandpipers, 

 perform a double migration, and pass thi'ough the country twice a 

 year, viz. in spring and autumn. 



The Anmial Visitants comprise those which occur in some part 

 of the British Islands annually, but comparatively in very limited 

 numbers, and at irregular and uncertain intervals. The month in 

 which some or one of them may be expected may be named ; but 



