12 OUR IRISH SONG BIRDS. 



in which little is said, but much is understood." And 

 again, notes which seem to us to be identical may have 

 delicate shades of meaning inappreciable by human ears. 



Eagles, Hawks, and other birds of prey, have shrill 

 and piercing voices. The Raven's solemn note makes 

 the woods resound. 



The Crow when making love borders on the ridiculous, 

 and the Rook's attempt at a song, although occasionally 

 made, is by no means a success. 



Owls, it has been said, hoot musically in b flat. The 

 Cuckoo nearly always sings in a minor third. 



The Woodpecker laughs loudly ; so does the laughing 

 Jackass feathered and unfeathered. 



The voice of the Goose is trumpet-like and clanging ; 

 the hiss of the Gander is full of menace ; his bite is 

 decidedly painful. 



The Turkey struts and gobbles before his lady love 

 in a highly diverting manner ; to an adversary his 

 language seems impertinent and ungentlemanlike in 

 the extreme. 



The Peacock, like nearly all gaudy birds, hath a 

 shocking squall. 



And here I may remark that nearly all the great 

 songsters have a sober plumage. It is so with the 

 Nightingale, the Blackcap, the Skylark, the Thrush, and 

 others ; whilst, on the other hand, the gaudy birds are 

 usually without song. 



The females of birds, too, but seldom venture on a 

 song (unless the hen Skylark be an exception), and they 

 are plainer than the males ; in both these respects 

 differing widely from the females of the human race. 



The loud cries of birds at night are evidently meant 



