248 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



question, by the birds darting down almost to the 

 roots of the bushes at some distance from where we 

 stood, from which we concluded their scolding was 

 not directed to us. The loud pink, pink, of the 

 chaffinches soon attracted to the spot a crowd of their 

 woodland neighbours, among whom a red-breast 

 took the lead, followed by a green-bird, a song- 

 thrush, and about a dozen of the small summer birds 

 (Sylviadtf), all brought together by curiosity to 

 learn what the chaffinches were scolding about. From 

 all of these curiosity-hunters giving vent to the same 

 expression of feeling, we concluded that some com- 

 mon enemy had made his appearance among them ; 

 and upon looking narrowly into the bushes we per- 

 ceived a pine martin (Maries abietum, RAY) stealing 

 along, occasionally throwing a sly, or rather con- 

 temptuous look at his vociferous railers, but other- 

 wise continuing a careful prying search into every 

 hole and bush for a nest of eggs or young, of which 

 he might make a breakfast *. 



It appears, however, to be a shrewd and correct 

 observation of Mr. Knapp, that the voice of one spe- 

 cies of birds, except in particular cases, is not at- 

 tended to by another species ; arid he instances the 

 peculiar call of the female cuckoo which assembles 

 so many contending rivals, but excites no attention 

 generally, inasmuch as the dialect seems to be un- 

 known to all but its own species. He adds, " I know 

 but one note which animals make use of, that seems 

 of universal comprehension, and this is the signal of 

 danger: the instant it is uttered, we hear the whole 

 flock, though composed of various species, repeat a 

 separate moan, and away they all scuttle into the 

 bushes for safety f." 



The latter circumstance, however, is contrary to all 



* J.R. 



f Journ. of a Naturalist, p. 268, third edit. 



