BLACKBIRDS AND PHEASANTS 5 



one that continues longest, is the " mik, mik " that I 

 have spoken of, and this is repeated continuously for 

 a considerable time. Another is a loud and fussy 

 sort of "chuck, chuck, chuck," which often ends 

 in almost an exaggeration of that well-known note 

 which is generally considered to be the one of 

 alarm, but which, in my experience, has, with most 

 other cries to which some special meaning is attri- 

 buted, a far wider and more generalised significance. 

 As the bird utters it, it flies, full of excitement, to 

 the tree or bush in which it means to pass the 

 night, and here, whilst the darkness deepens, it 

 '* mik, mik, mik, mik, miks," till, as I suppose, 

 with the last " mik " of all, the head is laid beneath 

 the wing, and it goes peacefully to sleep. It is now 

 that the pheasants come stealing, often running, 

 to bed. You may hear their quick, elastic little 

 steps upon the pine-needles, as they pass you, some- 

 times, quite close. I have had one run almost upon 

 me, as I sat, stone still, in the gloom, seen it pause, 

 look, hesitate, retreat, return again, to be again torn 

 with doubt, and, finally, hurry by fearfully, and only 

 a pace or two off, to fly into a tree just behind me. 

 This shows, I think, that pheasants have their 

 accustomed trees, where they roost night after night. 

 In my experience this is the habit of most birds, 

 but, after a time, the favourite tree or spot will be 

 changed for another, and thus it will vary in a 

 longer period, though not in a very short one. 

 This, at least, is my idea ; assurance in such a matter 

 is difficult. The aviary may help us here. Two 

 little Australian parrakeets, that expatiate in my 

 greenhouse, chose, soon after they were introduced, 



