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would be ever associated with ghosts and hob- 

 goblins. Its plumage is a dark funereal brown, 

 which, in some lights, shows metallic tints ; even the 

 quills are black, while its eyes are dark brown, and 

 its bill the colour of the blackest ebony. Its voice 

 is very human, and reminds the listener of that of 

 a querulous, aged invalid. For hours it will remain 

 almost motionless, with an attitude strongly indica- 

 tive of suffering from oppressive grief; then a 

 reaction seems to seize the creature, and with it a 

 determination to be jolly under adverse circumstances, 

 when it will rush from its resting-place to its 

 nearest neighbour or neighbours, and all will com- 

 mence a dance as ludicrous and boisterous as it is 

 possible to imagine. Many of the cranes have the 

 same proclivity, and their attitudes are often very 

 laughable, but their performances are not a patch 

 upon those of this bird. 



My chum, who is a Scotchman, and had imbibed 

 several of the superstitions of his countrymen, when 

 he first heard the voice of the shadow bird, on 

 learning what caused it, remarked (sotto voce) that 

 "it must be neither canny nor earthly to make such 

 a queer noise." 



