LANGUAGE. 177 



lar occasions in the woods."* The humming-bird, 

 indeed, is not alone in the exhibition of curiosity to 

 see what is going forward when other birds are vo- 

 ciferous. We recollect having our attention once 

 drawn to the loud scolding of a pair of chaffinches 

 in a copse, a circumstance of very frequent occur- 

 rence during summer, but rendered peculiar in the 

 instance in question by the birds darting down al- 

 most to the roots of the bushes at some distance 

 from where we stood, from which we concluded 

 their scolding was not directed to us. The loud 

 pink, pink, of the chaffinches soon attracted to the 

 spot a crowd of their woodland neighbours, among 

 whom a redbreast took the lead, followed by a 

 greenbird, a songthrush, and about a dozen of the 

 small summer birds (Sylviada), all brought to- 

 gether by curiosity to learn what the chaffinches 

 were scolding about. From all of these curiosity- 

 hunters giving vent to the same expression of feel- 

 ing, we concluded that some common enemy had 

 made his appearance among them ; and upon look- 

 ing narrowly into the bushes we perceived a pine 

 martin (Maries abietum, RAY) stealing along, occa- 

 sionally throwing a sly, or. rather, contemptuous 

 look at his vociferous railers, but otherwise contin- 

 uing a careful prying search into every hole and 

 bush for a nest of eggs or young, of which he might 

 make a breakfast. 



It appears, however, to be a shrewd and correct 

 observation of Mr. Knapp, that the voice of one 

 species of birds, except in particular cases, is not 

 attended to by another species ; and he instances 

 the peculiar call of the female cuckoo, which resem- 

 bles so many contending rivals, but excites no at- 

 tention generally, inasmuch as the dialect seems to 

 be unknown to all but its own species. He adds, 

 " I know but one note which animals make use of 



* Wilson, Am. Ornith., vii., 85. 



