2 OTKODUCTIOK. 



of mischief, the wood is silent in an instant ; and every bird 

 either listens for the enemy's coming, hastens to the aid of the 

 comrade who is attacked. This peculiarity is so marked, that 

 fowlers have not failed to turn it to purposes of profit. They 

 build a hut, roof it with green boughs, and cover the roof with 

 a plentiful supply of limed twigs. They then display a 

 Screech-owl or other bird of prey, imitate the sonorous cry of a 

 Jay or Woodpecker in fear and distress ; and birds of every size 

 and species flock to the hut, and are caught. 



The tones of happiness and joy, by which one bird is able 

 to call forth from another a similar expression of feeling, seem 

 to be almost as universally intelligible. Nor is this joy shown 

 by song alone ; although when one little creature begins to 

 sing, the whole wood, or the whole room, soon manifests its 

 sympathy by a general chorus. The same is frequently indi- 

 cated by single notes. In spring and autumn, a great variety 

 of species may often be noticed in hedges and bushes, which 

 seem to take great delight in the utterance of a common cry. 

 Again, when in confinement, birds may often be induced to 

 sing by various noises, loud conversation, and above all, by in- 

 strumental music ; though on wild birds these means would 

 produce no other effect than to frighten them away. 



In many cases also different species have a language, which 

 serves for various purposes of mutual communication. For 

 instance, Ravens, Crows, Jackdaws, &c., understand and re- 

 spond, both by voice and action, to each other's call. By imi- 

 tating the call of the Yellow-hammer, the fowler succeeds in 

 taking the Ortolan, the Snow-bunting, the Reed-bunting, the 

 Foolish-bunting, &c. : the cry of the Chaffinch decoys the 

 Mountain-finch; and that of the Siskin attracts the Citron- 

 finch and the Redpole. 



Lastly, every bird has received from nature the power of 

 uttering either a song, or certain distinct sounds, by which it 

 can communicate its desires not only to those of its own, but 

 of other species. These notes, if connected in a melodious 

 succession, are called a song ; if unconnected, a call. In some 

 cases the call is the same, however different the emotions which 

 it is intended to express : in others, it is very various. For 

 instance, the Chaffinch's call, when on the wing, is Eyak! 

 vyak ! its expression of joy is Fink ! fink ! if angry, the same 

 syllable is repeated more quickly ; and Trief! irief! is the sign 



