NOTES OF ALARM. 261 



that he has made some discovery, and immediately follow in 

 the same direction, in order that they may come in for their 

 share. 



In like manner, when one wild duck has found out a 

 quantity of corn, laid down in any particular place, he soon 

 brings others to the spot, and these again give information to 

 others, until at length large Hocks collect to feed on what 

 was originally discovered by a single bird. I do not mean to 

 infer that they can communicate to each other by any bird- 

 language the existence and locality of the prize found ; but 

 they all go to the spot attracted by the manner of night of 

 the first discoverers, which doubtless tells their companions 

 most plainly that they are winging their way directly 

 towards a depot of food, and not going forth on a vague and 

 uncertain search. 



The clamour and noise of crows when they find a prize tell 

 the tale at once to all within hearing, and not to those of 

 their own kind only but to all ravens or rooks in the neigh- 

 bourhood. 



In the same manner birds communicate alarm and warn- 

 ing, not only to those of their own species, but also to others. 

 Often has the cry of a crow, who has suddenly while passing 

 over my head discovered my hiding-place, caused a nock of 

 geese or other wild fowl to take wing instantaneously, as if 

 they themselves had seen me ; and many a shot have I lost 

 by the cries of peewits and other birds. 



I have often been led to think that, when different kinds 

 of wild-fowl were feeding in a quiet place, the mallards and 

 widgeon have taken no heed to their own security as long as 

 there were either curlews or redshanks feeding near them ; 

 being apparently quite satisfied that these vigilant and noisy 

 birds were sufficiently watchful sentinels to warn them on 

 the first approach of danger. 



A stag takes warning from the alarm-note of the grouse or 

 plover as quickly as if he had himself seen an enemy, and 

 from the manner of the bird's flight he knows pretty 

 accurately where the danger lies. 



In getting up to deer it has more than once happened 

 that I have had either to lie motionless for a long time, or to 

 make a considerable circuit, in order to avoid putting up a 

 cock-grouse, who, eyeing my serpentine movements with sus- 

 picion, has been ready to rise with his loud cry of alarm had I 

 approached a yard nearer to him. In fact there is a language 



