142 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



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 flarrot-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 clatter- 

 ing 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 gregarious birds, especially the noc- 

 turnal, 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 dis- 

 persing 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. And first the 

 peacock, with his gorgeous train, demands our attention ; 

 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-like, and clanking ; and once saved the Capitol at 



