IMITATION OF INSECTS 187 



the green field cricket {Acrzda viridissiind)^ and 

 although the insect is not heard much before August, 

 the young birds must have plenty of opportunities 

 of noticing this strain. Let any one listen to the 

 noise made by our common grasshoppers, and 

 compare the sounds with those uttered as a song by 

 the yellow and cirl buntings, and he must admit 

 that in relation to " time " there is much resem- 

 blance between these sounds, and that the tones 

 are not wholly dissimilar. In summer the young 

 buntings must often be in a very din of grass- 

 hoppers, for they are generally to be seen where 

 these insects abound, and this is especially the case 

 along sunny hedgerows. From August until the 

 middle of October our hedges are populated with 

 crickets, whose monotonous chirping may be heard 

 both by day and by night. The common call-note 

 of the brown wren is uttered with especial frequency 

 at this season, and it is very closely like this sound, 

 though much louder. Wrens must then hear this 

 chirp throughout the day. 



Resemblances to Sounds made by 

 Quadrupeds 



The note of the American red-headed woodpecker 

 {Picus erythrocephalus) is " shrill and lively, and so 



