190 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



as it were in their utterance, while others are confined to a few 

 important sounds : no bird, like the fish kind, is quite mute, 

 though some are rather silent. The language of birds is very 

 ancient, and, like other ancient modes of speech, very elliptical ; 

 little is said, but much is meant and understood. 



The notes of the eagle-kind are shrill and piercing ; and about 

 the season of nidification much diversified, as I have been often 

 assured by a curious observer of Nature, who long resided at 

 Gibraltar, where eagles abound. The notes of our hawks much 

 resemble those of the king of birds. Owls have very expressive 

 notes ; they hoot in a fine vocal sound, much resembling the vox 

 humana, and reducible by a pitch-pipe to a musical key. This 

 note seems to express complacency and rivalry among the males : 

 they use also a quick call and an horrible scream ; and can snore 

 and hiss when they mean to menace. Ravens, besides their loud 

 croak, can exert a deep and solemn note that makes the woods 

 to echo ; the amorous sound of a crow is strange and ridiculous ; 

 rooks, in the breeding season, attempt sometimes in the gaiety 

 of their hearts to sing, but with no great success ; the parrot-kind 

 have many modulations of voice, as appears by their aptitude to 

 learn human sounds ; doves coo in an amorous and mournful 

 manner, and are emblems of despairing lovers ; the woodpecker 

 sets up a sort of loud and hearty laugh ; the fern-owl, or goat- 

 sucker, from the dusk till day-break, serenades his mate with the 

 clattering of castanets. All the tuneful passeres express their 

 complacency by sweet modulations, and a variety of melody. 

 The swallow, as has been observed in a former letter, by a shrill 

 alarm bespeaks the attention of the other hirundines, and bids 

 them be aware that the hawk is at hand. Aquatic and grega- 

 rious birds, especially the nocturnal, that shift their quarters in 

 the dark, are very noisy and loquacious ; as cranes, wild-geese, 

 wild-ducks, and the like : their perpetual clamour prevents them 

 from dispersing and losing their companions. 



In so extensive a subject, sketches and outlines are as much as 

 can be expected ; for it would be endless to instance in all the 

 infinite variety of the feathered nation. We shall therefore 

 confine the remainder of this letter to the few domestic fowls of 

 our yards, which are most known, and therefore best understood. 

 At first the peacock, with his gorgeous train, demands our atten- 

 tion ; but, like most of the gaudy birds, his notes are grating and 

 shocking to the ear : the yelling of cats, and the braying of an 

 ass, are not more disgustful. The voice of the goose is trumpet- 



