LANGUAGE OF FOWLS. 267 



train, demands our attention ; but, like most of the 

 gaudy birds, his notes are grating and shocking to 

 the ear : the yelling of cats, and the braying of an 

 ass, are not more disgustful. The voice of the goose 

 is trumpet-like, and clanking; and once saved the 

 Capitol at Rome, as grave historians assert : the hiss 

 also of the gander is formidable, and full of menace, 

 and " protective of his young." Among ducks, the 

 sexual distinction of voice is remarkable ; for, while 

 the quack of the female is loud and sonorous, the 

 voice of the drake is inward, and harsh, and feeble, 

 and scarce discernible. The cock turkey struts and 

 gobbles to his mistress in a most uncouth manner : 

 he hath also a pert and petulant note when he attacks 

 his adversary. When a hen turkey leads forth her 

 young brood, she keeps a watchful eye ; and if a bird 

 of prey appear, though ever so high in the air, the 

 careful mother announces the enemy with a little 

 inward moan, and watches him with a steady and 

 attentive look ; but, if he approach, her note becomes 

 earnest and alarming, and her outcries are redoubled. 

 No inhabitants of a yard seem possessed of such a 

 variety of expression, and so copious a language as 

 common poultry. Take a chicken of four or five days 

 old, and hold it up to a window where there are flies, 

 and it will immediately seize its prey with little 

 twitterings of complacency ; but if you tender it a 

 wasp or a bee, at once its note becomes harsh and 

 expressive of disapprobation and a sense of danger. 

 When a pullet is ready to lay, she intimates the event 

 by a joyous and easy soft note. Of all the occur- 

 rences of their life, that of laying seems to be the 

 most important ; for, no sooner has a hen disburdened 

 herself, than she rushes forth with a clamorous kind 

 of joy, which the cock and the rest of his mistresses 

 immediately adopt. The tumult is not confined to the 

 family concerned, but catches from yard to yard, and 



