178 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



that seems of universal comprehension, and this is 

 the signal of danger : the instant it is uttered, we 

 hear the whole flock, though composed of various 

 species, repeat a separate moan, and away they all 

 scuttle into the bushes for safety."* 



The latter circumstance, however, is contrary to 

 all that we have ever observed ; for, instead of fly- 

 ing or hiding from danger, the alarm-call seems to 

 imbolden even the most timid to run every hazard ; 

 and, accordingly, it is matter of common observa- 

 tion, that whenever a hawk makes his appearance, 

 the first swallow which descries him sounds the 

 tocsin, when not only all the swallows in the vicin- 

 ity muster their forces, but many other small birds 

 hurry to the spot, and, so far from skulking away 

 out of danger, they boldly face their powerful foe, 

 attacking him fearlessly with beak and wing, till 

 some individual pays the penalty of his temerity. 

 With this exception we can bear testimony to the 

 description of Mr. Knapp being minutely correct. 

 " Some," he adds, " give the maternal hush to their 

 young, and mount to inquire into the jeopardy an- 

 nounced. The wren, that tells of perils from the 

 hedge, soon collects about her all the various in- 

 quisitive species within hearing to survey and as- 

 certain the object and add their separate fears. 

 The swallow, that, shrieking, darts in devious flight 

 through the air when a hawk appears, not only calls 

 up all the hirundines of the village, but is instantly 

 understood by every finch and sparrow, and its 

 warning attended to."f 



Dr. Darwin, in his usual ingenious but fanciful 

 manner, endeavours to show that this language of 

 fear and alarm is (like other sounds usually con- 

 sidered natural) acquired and conventional like hu- 

 man speech. His facts will amuse the reader, while 

 his inferences must appear quite hypothetical and 



* Journal of a Naturalist p. 268, third edit. f Ibid, 



