THE BOB-WHITE. 439 
listen attentively to it to be warned of rain. I have spent a good many hours 
listening to calling birds, some in the distance, some near at hand. While 
the distant birds often, perhaps usually, seemed to give but two syllables, those 
near at hand always gave three, but the first was often so softly given that 
it would not be audible beyond a few rods. 
As soon as the young birds are able to leave the nest they are taught to 
shun danger in various ways, first by “‘freezing’—trusting to their protective 
colors for 
safety. The 
assembly is 
a means of 
mutual pro- 
tection, and 
the call for 
assembly is 
given by the 
old birds. In 
ACI, ele 
family re- 
mains to- 
gether dur- 
ihn oo euaye 
whole  win- 
ter, and the 
young are 
constantly 
being taught, 
by example, 
how to avoid 
danger, and 
how to live 
the best. The 
signal for 
danger to 
the whole 
feeding flock 
is a low 
chuckling 
rattle, which 
might bemis- 
taken for 
field mice: 
Taken in Jefferson Drawing by Robt. J. Sim. 
“THE CHARMED CIRCLE—NO MORE ROOM.” 
