BIRD TALK. 105 



low, tender talk, almost in a whisper, before all 

 was quiet again ; and wlien another bird flew 

 wildly around the room, there was always a 

 remark or two in an interested tone. The 

 male did most of the talking, carrying on, often 

 for a long time, a constant flow of what sounded 

 marvelonsly like comments and criticisms, 

 while his mate replied occasionally with the 

 usual call. Certain notes plainly had a specific 

 meaning, even to the others in the room. One 

 in particular was peculiar and low, but upon 

 its utterance every bird became instantly silent 

 and looked at the cage, while the bluebirds 

 themselves were so absorbed, gazing apparently 

 into blank space, that I could easily put my 

 hands on them before they observed me. For 

 several minutes this low note would be repeated, 

 and all the birds stare at nothing, till I began 

 to feel almost uncomfortable, as I have done at 

 similar staring at nothing on the* part of ani- 

 mals. One can hardly resist the feeling that 

 these creatures can see something invisible to 

 our eyes. On one occasion, when the male ut- 

 tered this note, the female was just about to 

 eat ; she stood as if petrified, with head half- 

 way down to the food, for two or three min- 

 utes. 



What I have called talk was a very low 

 twitter in a conversational tone, on one note, 



