A Hundred Republics. 283 
level course, neither rising nor falling; but if observed 
nearer it will be seen that with every stroke of the 
wings the body is lifted some inches, and sinks as 
much immediately afterwards. 
As the black multitude floats past overhead with 
deliberate, easy flight, their trumpeters and buglemen, 
the jackdaws—two or three to every company—utter 
their curious chuckle ; for the jackdaw is a bird which 
could not keep silence to save his life, but must 
talk after his fashion, while his grave, solemn com- 
panions move slowly onwards, rarely deigning to ‘caw’ 
him a reply. But away yonder at the wood, above 
the great beech trees, where so vast a congregation 
is gathered together, there is a mighty uproar and 
commotion: a seething and bubbling of the crowds, 
now settling on the branches, now rising in sable 
clouds, each calling to the other with all his might, 
the whole population delivering its opinions at once. 
It is an assemblage of a hundred republics. We 
know how free States indulge in speech with their 
parliaments and congresses and senates, their public 
meetings, and so forth: here are a hundred such 
nations, all with perfect liberty of tongue holding 
forth unsparingly, and in a language which consists 
of two or three syllables indefinitely repeated. 
The din is wonderful—each republic as its forces 
arrive adding to the noise, and for a long time unable 
to settle upon their trees, but feeling compelled to 
wheel around and discourse. In spring each tribe 
