226 BIRDS AND MAN 



their most populous settlement. As I advanced, 

 the dead twigs and leaves crackling beneath my 

 feet, they rose up everywhere, singly and in twos 

 and threes and half-dozens, darting hurriedly 

 away and disappearing among the trees before 

 me. The alarm-note they emit at such times is 

 like their usual yelping call subdued to a short, 

 querulous chirp ; and this note now sounded 

 before me and on either hand, at a distance of 

 about one hundred yards, uttered continually by 

 so many birds that their voices mingled into a 

 curious sharp murmur. Tired of walking, I sat 

 down on a root in the shelter of a large oak, and 

 remained there perfectly motionless for about an 

 hour. But the birds never lost their suspicion ; 

 all the time the distant subdued tempest of sharp 

 notes went on, occasionally dying down until it 

 nearly ceased, then suddenly rising and spreading 

 again, until I was ringed round with the sound. 

 At length the loud, sharp invitation or order to 

 fly was given and taken up by many birds ; then, 

 through the opening among the trees before me, 

 I saw them rise in a dense flock and circle about 

 at a distance : other flocks rose on the right and 

 left hands and joined the first ; and finally the 



