LANGUAGE AMONG THE LOWER ORDERS. IO5 



flight is useless. The storm bursts ; he mounts to lofty 

 heights where he finds tranquillity. 



The poetic metaphor, untrue when applied to any other 

 bird, is no exaggeration when applied to him ; literally he 

 sleeps upon the storm. When he chooses to oar his way 

 seriously, all distance vanishes ; he breakfasts at the Sene- 

 gal : he dines in America." 



How the earth-chained mortal sighs, as Ruckert sa3''s, 

 for 



"Wings ! to hover free 



O'er the dawn-empurpled sea. 

 Wings ! 'bove life to soar, 

 And beyond death forevermore." 



Language Among the "Lower Orders." 



BY O. H. LEAVITT. 



Any person who has watched a flock of crows feeding 

 on the ground, with a sentinel posted in some tree in a 

 sightly place, has learned that the birds understand the 

 different calls of the watchman ; one being a word of en- 

 couragement, as much as to saj^ "All is well," another 

 when he thinks it is time for another to take his place on 

 watch, and a third when danger approaches and it is time 

 to retreat. All these are noted and observed by the sound 

 of his voice, and without his leaving his perch. 



Some people, however, who are accustomed to the sight, 

 are surprised to see the readiness with which the chickens 

 aud 3'oung turkeys will obey the cry of alarm of the parent 

 bird of either sex, aud seek cover without seeing the ene- 

 my or knowing what the danger is. But after we recog- 

 nize the intelligence of animals and birds, this is not sur- 

 prising, for it is one of the first and most important uses 

 of their intelligence. But poultry keepers obser\^e facts 



