A SUMMER AT HOME. 229 



cries of birds, and, hurrying to the spot, often seize the 

 young which otherwise would have escaped. It is gen- 

 erally supposed that tliese cries of distress indicate that 

 the parent birds have already detected a lurking enemy, 

 and their anxiety overcomes their discretion, so that they 

 too loudly caution their inexperienced young. This is 

 certainly not always the case. Yesterday there was no 

 foe near, but a cat was drawn to the spot, and would 

 have remained, had I permitted it. Very often I have 

 noticed the same thing, both near the house, when cats 

 were brought to the scene, and in the woods, where 

 other enemies responded. 



It is not always necessary to be abroad to know what 

 transpires in the bird-world of the house-yard. The 

 family all know when a brood of Carolina wrens leave 

 the nest. The old birds get so excited over it, they 

 endanger not only their offspring, but themselves. 



When once danger really threatens, to sound an 

 alarm, as do the robins and other thrushes, is the part 

 of wisdom ; but the credit due for this amount of in- 

 telligence is quite offset by the habit of proclaiming a 

 brood's departure, as so many birds do. This is the 

 climax of absurdity, yet the birds seem as yet to have 

 gained no wisdom from experience, although this has 

 often been sad enough. It is but natural to suppose 

 that evolution should operate in such cases, that these 

 birds would acquire such power of discrimination be- 

 tween utterances that endanger and those that indicate 

 its actual presence. The ordinary song of a bird cer- 

 tainly is unheeded by the lurking foes of the songster, 

 for at such a time the bird's attention is not so wrapped 



