124 NATURE'S STORY OF THE YEAR 



especially to be observed in autumn, when the 

 birds are striving for the possession of suitable 

 nooks for sleeping in during winter. The starling, 

 however, sings a song to his mate, whom he will 

 often fan with the wings at that time. The black- 

 bird never degrades his sonorous tone to the 

 language of conflict, but makes a clicking sound 

 when fighting. His near relative, the thrush, 

 however, never fights another thrush without 

 twittering all the while ; yet, when his nest is 

 threatened, say, by a jay or jackdaw, he does not 

 twitter at all, but utters a great outcry, different 

 from that employed at any other time, and 

 resembling, more than anything else, the fierce 

 rattling screech of the missel-thrush. 



It is not mere fear that makes the fighting bird 

 sing, for each of those above-named has a special 

 note of alarm, which is readily given ; so we are 

 forced to conclude that while the starling, black- 

 bird, nightingale, chaffinch, and some others, may 

 be pouring out the truest love-notes, the robin, 

 thrush, and willow-wren, though also singing 

 sweetly, may be using very vulgar language 

 the " Billingsgate " of birds. 



