THE CAWING OF ROOKS 33 



uttered when we move suddenly beneath the trees, 

 and other words are uttered when a bird intrudes 

 on the precincts of a neighbor's nest; there is a 

 word when the rook sinks down upon the nest, 

 and another word when it flies clear of the rookery 

 and makes for the fields. What danger-signals, 

 what scoldings, what satisfaction, what exultation, 

 what reproaches, what encouragements do we not 

 hear? There is no doubt that the members of the 

 crow family have fine brains and a notable power 

 of vocalization, which training, as in jackdaws and 

 ravens, may develop to a remarkable degree; the 

 finely innervated musculature of the voice-box 

 (or syrinx) is more highly differentiated than in the 

 master-songsters, such as blackbird and mavis, 

 Experts tell us that the rook has between thirty 

 and forty notes, which can be intricately combined. 

 This may be best appreciated at the roosting-place 

 after the busy breeding season is over and summer 

 has come. " A marvelous medley/' said Mr. 

 Edmond Selous in his delightful Bird W etchings, 

 "a wonderful hoarse harmony. Here are shoutings 

 of triumph, chatterings of joy, deep trills of con- 

 tentment, hoarse yells of derision, deep guttural 

 indignations, moanings, groanings, tauntings, re- 

 monstrances, clicks, squeaks, sobs, cachinnations, 

 and the whole a most musical murmur. Loud, but 

 a murmur, a wild, noisy, clamorous murmur; but 

 sinking now, softening a lullaby. 



I never heard 

 So musical a discord, such sweet thunder." 



