138 ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE. 



assisting their helpless little ones. There can, 

 however, be no doubt that this affection is only 

 transient, and when once the objects of it are 

 removed, it soon dies out entirely. Witness how 

 soon birds appear to forget the grief of their loss 

 when their young have been taken away, often 

 preparing for another brood, the male singing just 

 as joyfully as before the bereavement. It is well it 

 should be so. None of us would care to contem- 

 plate the face of Nature bathed in mourning tears, 

 or see her subjects grief-stricken and joyless long. 



Most of the actions and movements of birds 

 are accompanied by notes of some kind. Gre- 

 garious birds, in flying from place to place, twitter 

 to each other en route probably for the purpose of 

 keeping the flock united. Migrating birds keep 

 sounding their notes as they fly across the night 

 sky, the leaders being answered by those in the- 

 rear, so that none of the party shall accidentally 

 stray from the rest. Notes of triumph are uttered 

 by successful rivals. Cries of recognition and joy 

 are sounded when birds rejoin their mates or 

 young. The season of courtship and love is a 

 season of song. The mother speaks her delight 

 in sounds understood of her species after each 

 fragile egg is laid in the nest. Fright, distress, 

 and anger are all expressed in certain language so 

 plainly spoken that even man may understand it. 



The patience of birds is remarkable. Note, 

 for instance, how a bird will wait for hours, when 

 it is conscious of being watched, before it will 



