88 BIRDS NESTS. 



Just afterwards I saw the cat skulking along 

 through the shrubbery, and as soon as she 

 was gone, the noise stopped. Don't you think 

 they must have been afraid of her ? " 



" No doubt their instinct told them that 

 the cat was their enemy ; but what good they 

 thought would come of their screaming, I 

 cannot say. Perhaps, w T hen birds join toge- 

 ther in that way, the cat may fancy that some 

 mischief will happen to her if she persists, 

 and so she is really frightened away. When a 

 hawk comes near a village in summer, you 

 may often see a flock of swallows flying after 

 it, and twittering with their utmost might. 

 I do not suppose that with their soft beaks 

 they could do the hawk much harm ; but the 

 robber, bold as he is, always skulks away as if 

 he was afraid to join battle with them. What 

 rejoicing there must be among the swallows 

 when their enemy is gone !" 



" But how comes it that the small birds never 

 take any notice of my hawk ? I have often 



