The Road to Dumbiedykes 



these premises, and again the other; 

 so I do not undertake to rank the order 

 of their rising. I only know that both 

 prepare to begin the operations of the 

 day before any of their nesting neigh- 

 bors have given any outward evidence 

 of intent to go to work. It is surprising 

 how immediate is the response of the 

 other crows and robins to the initial 

 caw or chirp. The crows are at once 

 alert and scolding vigorously. That 

 is, it sounds like scolding. As a matter 

 of fact, I presume Mrs. Crow looks 

 upon old Jim 's voice as the best in the 

 community, and what seems to us a 

 family row is but the expression of a 

 real Corvine affinity. 



Cock Robin does not launch himself 

 at once into the cheery roundelay for 

 which he is so famous, and yet he does 

 not indulge in any extended prelude 

 to that finely-finished performance. 

 He just tosses off a few disjointed 

 fragmentary notes by way of testing 

 out his tubes, and then springing for- 

 l76] 



