176 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



all the cunning devices of a practised veteran in 

 lying in wait for a mouse, which it succeeded in 

 capturing, though, so far as we were aware, it had 

 never before seen a mouse ; and we have not a 

 doubt, though we never witnessed an instance, that 

 a young hawk would pounce upon the first live bird 

 presented to it, independently of all experience and 

 instruction. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



LANGUAGE OP BIRDS. 



BY the term language, in reference to birds, we 

 mean sounds which can be mutually understood, ex- 

 cluding the words and phrases which parrots and 

 starlings may be taught by imitation, but to which 

 the birds that repeat them can attach no meaning. 

 An example will best illustrate this, and we do not 

 recollect one more apposite than a circumstance 

 mentioned by Wilson when speaking of the richel 

 bird (Sterna minuta). "I lately," he says, "visited 

 those parts of the beach on Cape May where this 

 little bird breeds. During my whole stay, these 

 birds flew in crowds around me, and often within a 

 few yards of my head, squeaking like so many 

 young pigs, which noise their voice strikingly re- 

 sembles. A humming-bird, that had accidentally 

 strayed to the place, appeared suddenly among this 

 outrageous troop, several of whom darted angrily 

 at him ; but he shot like an arrow from them, di- 

 recting his flight straight towards the ocean. I 

 have no doubt but the distressing cries of the terus 

 had drawn this little creature to the scene, having 

 frequently witnessed his anxious curiosity on simi- 



