THE SONGS OF BIRDS. 143 



strip of muslin, too long for one bird to carry conven- 

 iently, and placed it on the ground in a position to be 

 seen by the birds when searching for suitable materials 

 for their nest. In a few moments one of the cat-birds 

 spied the strip and endeavored to carry it off, but its 

 length and weight, in whichever way the bird took hold 

 of it, and he tried many, impeded its flight. After wor- 

 rying over it for some time the bird flew off, not, as I 

 supposed, to seek other materials, but, as it proved, to ob- 

 tain assistance in transporting the strip of muslin in ques- 

 tion. In a few moments it returned with its mate, and 

 then, standing near the strip, they held what I consider 

 to have been a consultation. The chirping, twittering, 

 murmuring, and occasional ejaculations were all unmis- 

 takable. In a few moments this chattering, if you will, 

 ceased, and the work commenced. Each took hold of the 

 strip of muslin at about the same distance from the ends, 

 and, starting exactly together, they flew toward their un- 

 finished nest, bearing the prize successfully away. 



I followed them as quickly as possible, and, reaching 

 the brier-patch, never before or since heard such an in- 

 terminable wrangling and jabbering. Had I not seen 

 the birds, I doubt if I should have recognized them 

 from their voices. The poor birds simply could not 

 agree how to use so long a piece of material to the best 

 advantage. If it had been shorter, they might have made 

 it serviceable ; but as it was, being neither willing to dis- 

 card it nor able to agree as to its proper use, they finally 

 abandoned it altogether, and so too they did the unfin- 

 ished nest and the neighborhood. 



From what has been said, I can not see how birds can 

 logically be denied language. A hundred instances sim- 

 ilar to this in the essential details occur every spring day, 

 and they all prove that a bird has some means of commu- 



