30 GLIMPSES OF INDIAN BIRDS 



the cock without assuming any communication be- 

 tween him and his mate. Let us suppose that while 

 she was sulking, and he was working, a mouse appeared 

 on the scene. This would alarm him, and possibly the 

 instinct of flying from enemies, that the appearance 

 of the mouse called into play, would cause him to 

 desert his nest, and perhaps he too began to sulk. 

 Then the hen, once again overcome by the nest- 

 building instinct, recommenced her work, and when 

 the cock followed suit he left his useless site and 

 worked at hers. 



Investigation into the extent to which birds and 

 beasts can communicate with one another is as diffi- 

 cult as it is fascinating. It is one of those subjects of 

 which probably but little can be learned by systematic 

 experiment. The casual observer is as likely to throw 

 light upon it as the man who makes a special study 

 of it. A chance incident, such as that observed by 

 Mr. Taylor, throws a flood of light upon the subject. 

 It is not until we have a large number of such observa- 

 tions on record that we shall be able to acquire some 

 definite knowledge of the extent to which birds and 

 beasts can, and do, communicate with one another. 



