218 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



Then I climbed into the tree, near the nest, and the 

 crows flew near me, while their voices still seemed 

 to come from all directions. 



The corncrake is a specialist at ventriloquy. It 

 is by this strange power that it protects its nest. If 

 an enemy approaches its home, suddenly a strange 

 crake, crake is heard in an entirely different direc- 

 tion. A ghostly feeling comes over one as the notes 

 swell and die away to an echo! 



The ring-ouzel and the grasshopper- warbler also 

 are gifted with ventriloquial powers which they use 

 to lure enemies away from their homes. 



The mocking-bird is perhaps one of the ablest 

 ventriloquists. David, to whom I have already re- 

 ferred, has learned to throw his voice to various 

 parts of the bird-room at the same time. He uses 

 this power, however, only at night. His favourite 

 way of calling me seems to be by ventriloquistically 

 imitating the mew of a cat. He knows that a cat 

 is the least desired animal for a bird-room! Jona- 

 than does not seem to use this power. 



The bell-bird of South America is a ventriloquist 

 of most remarkable ability. No songster of the 

 forest causes so much astonishment by its vocal 

 powers, and clear bell-like notes. Waterson says: 

 "He greets both morn and eve with his song; and 

 yet when the ardent sun's rays lull all nature into 



