CH. XXXI. NOTES OF ALARM. 175 



but also to others. Often has the cry of a crow, 

 who has suddenly while passing over my head dis- 

 covered my hiding-place, caused a flock 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 differ- 

 ent 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 him- 

 self 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 suspicion, 

 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 of signs and observation carried 



