182 HABITS OF BIRDS. 
loquacious; as cranes, wild geese, wild ducks, and 
the like; their perpetual clamour prevents them 
from dispersing and losing their companions ;” and 
accordingly, when residing near the sea or a large 
river, we have often heard the scream of these night- 
fliers “‘ startle the dull ear of night.” 
There appears, however, to be a decided and well- 
understood distinction between the call of such 
stragglers as we have just alluded to, and the gath- 
ering-cry when an individual has discovered abun- 
dance of food. A seamew, or, what is more com- 
mon, a pair of seamews, may thus be seen far in- 
land, whither they have probabty been driven by 
blowing weather, coursing about high in the air, 
sometimes flying in one direction, and sometimes 
tacking about, and all the while uttering at intervals 
a peculiar callnote; but, even should this occur 
near the beach, no other seamew would think of 
coming at the signal. But, on the other hand, the 
note of intimation proceeding from an individual 
who has discovered a good fishing-station over a 
sandbank, is so well understood and so quickly 
obeyed, that we have repeatedly seen some hun- 
dreds of birds hurry to the place in a few minutes, 
though none were previously observable. 
There are instances, however, of birds thus call- 
ing when on the wing, which it does not seem so 
natural. to account for on either of these supposi- 
tions. We may mention the shrill, harsh scream of 
the kingfisher and of the dipper (Cinclus aquaticus, 
Becustein), which, so far as our observation goes, is 
repeated every time these birds take wing. It may, 
perhaps, as they are almost always seen in pairs, 
be meant as a signal-note to the mate, an explana- 
tion rendered more probable by the rapidity of their 
flight, which carries them in an instant to a great 
distance along the stream, so that without some such 
watchcall they might soon be separated. This call 
is not unlike the sound of a stick drawn rapidly 
