182 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



loquacious ; as cranes, wild geese, wild ducks, and 

 the like ; their perpetual clamour prevents them 

 from dispersing and losing their companions ;" and 

 accordingly, when residing near the sea or a large 

 river, we have often heard the scream of these night- 

 fliers " startle the dull ear of night." 



There appears, however, to be a decided and well- 

 understood distinction between the call of such 

 stragglers as we have just alluded to, and the gath- 

 ering-cry when an individual has discovered abun- 

 dance of food. A seamew, or, what is more com- 

 mon, a pair of seamews, may thus be seen far in- 

 land, whither they have probably been driven by 

 blowing' weather, coursing about high in the air, 

 sometimes flying in one direction, and sometimes 

 tacking about, and all the while uttering at intervals 

 a peculiar callnote; but, even should this occur 

 near the beach, no other seamew would think of 

 coming at the signal. But, on the other hand, the 

 note of intimation proceeding from an individual 

 who has discovered a good fishing-station over a 

 sandbank, is so well understood and so quickly 

 obeyed, that we have repeatedly seen some hun- 

 dreds of birds hurry to the place in a few minutes, 

 though none were previously observable. 



There are instances, however, of birds thus call- 

 ing when on the wing, which it does not seem so 

 natural to account for on either of these supposi- 

 tions. We may mention the shrill, harsh scream of 

 the kingfisher and of the dipper ( Cinclus aguaticus, 

 BECHSTEIN), which, so far as ouriobservation goes, is 

 repeated every time these birds take wing. It may, 

 perhaps, as they are almost always seen in pairs, 

 be meant as a signal-note to the mate, an explana- 

 tion rendered more probable by the rapidity of their 

 flight, which carries them in an instant to a great 

 distance along the stream, so that without some such 

 watchcall they might soon be separated. This call 

 is not unlike the sound of a stick drawn rapidly 



