I 



THE GATHERING OF THE CLANS 125 



it is a sad note enough — " as a weasel does eggs." 

 There are several variants of the cry, which seems 

 to differ according to the circumstances under which 

 it is uttered. The " dew-leep, dew-leep " — thin, 

 shrill, and with a plaintive wail in it — comes 

 oftenest from a bird standing by itself, and it is 

 astonishing for what a length of time he will utter 

 it, unencouraged by any response. He does not 

 embellish the remark with any appropriate action 

 or gesture, but just stands, or sits, and makes it. 

 That is enough for him. " It is his duty and he will." 

 But the full cry, or clamour, as it is called, proceeds, 

 usually, from several birds together, as they come 

 down over the warrens. That is a beautiful thing to 

 hear — so wild and striking — and the spread solitudes 

 amidst which it is uttered seem always to live in it. 

 I have seen two birds running, and thus lifting up 

 their voices, almost abreast, with another one either 

 just in front of or just behind them, the three 

 looking, for all the world, like three trumpeters on 

 the field of battle — for they carry their heads well 

 raised, and have a wild look of martial devotion. 

 But it is more the wailing sounds of the bagpipes 

 than the blast of the trumpet. 



*' Pibroch ofDonuil Dhu, 

 Pibroch of Donuil, 

 Wake thy wild voice anew, 

 Summon Clan-Conuil." 



And the wails grow and swell from one group to 

 another, and all come running down as though it 

 were the gathering of the clans. 



Then there is a note like " tur-li-vee, tur-li-vee, 

 tur-li-vee," quickly repeated — sometimes very 



