individuals only of the same species. But 

 there are certain sounds, particularly those 

 of clanger and of terror, which are perfectly 

 understood, not only by the same species, 

 but even by different genera and orders of 

 birds. When the fox wishes to surprise 

 birds in the neighborhood of hedges, brush- 

 wood, or trees, lie lies down on his belly, 

 and extends his hind-legs as if he were dead. 

 Tn this situation, however, he is perfectly 

 vigilant, and cunningly observes the motions 

 of the birds along the hedges and trees. 

 If any of them happen to spy him, they 

 immediately send forth soft, mournful, but 

 shrill cries, to alarm their neighbors, and to 

 advertise them of the enemy's approach. 

 Blackbirds and jays have been frequently 

 observed to follow the fox, flying from tree 

 to tree, and often repeating the same cries 

 of alarm and of danger. These cries, by 

 whatever birds they are uttered, are under- 

 stood by every species within reach of 

 hearing, who instantly use all their arts of 

 defence against the common enemy. Birds 

 are well acquainted with their natural ene- 

 mies, and this knowledge seems to be purely 

 instinctive, and not derived from experience 

 or observation. When they observe the 

 pine-weasel, though for the first time, they 

 utter the same mournful cry to announce his 

 approach as when they see a fox. It is 

 likewise worthy of remark, that birds utter 

 this peculiar cry upon the appearance of all 

 carnivorous animals, as the wolf, the fox, the 

 pine-weasel, the cat, &c. ; but never against 

 the stag, the roe, the hare, nor even man, 

 who, of all animals, is the greatest destroyer 

 of the inferior tribes. 



The language of most birds is a musical 

 language, and reducible by a pitch-pipe to a 

 musical key. All species are not equally 

 eloquent. The language of some species is 

 copious and fluent, but that of others is 

 confined to a few important sounds, which 

 are necessary to express barely their feel- 

 ings and their wants. But no bird, like the 

 finny tribes, is perfectly mute. The language 

 of birds, Mr. White of Selbourne remarks, is 

 very ancient, and like other ancient lan- 

 guages, very elliptical. They say little, but 

 much is meant and understood. Owls have 

 a very expressive language. They hoot in a 

 fine vocal sound, which has a considerable 

 resemblance to the human voice. This note 

 seems to express complacency, and some- 

 times rivalship among the males. They 

 likewise use a quick call, and a horrible 

 scream ; and they snore and hiss when they 

 mean to threaten and intimidate. The notes 

 of the eagle-kind are shrill and piercing, 

 and, in the season of love, very much diver- 

 sified. Ravens, besides their loud croaks, 

 sometimes exert a deep and solemn note, 

 which makes the woods resound. The 



amorous sound of a crow is strange, and 

 even somewhat ridiculous. In the breeding- 

 season, rooks make clumsy attempts towards 

 singing. The parrot-kind possess a great 

 range of modulation in their voice, as appears 

 by the facility with which they learn to 

 pronounce words and even short sentences. 

 The coo of the pigeon is amorous and 

 mournful. When the male makes love, or is 

 jealous of rivals, he erects his body, raises 

 the feathers of his neck and head, and 

 employs many strutting and lively gesti- 

 culations. To these movements he adds a 

 guttural but not unpleasant kind of speech. 

 When jealous of a rival, he utters the same 

 notes, but gives them a more sharp, and 

 even a menacing tone. The woodpecker, 

 when pleased, sets up a loud and hearty 

 species of laugh. The goat -sucker, or fern- 

 owl, from the dusk till day-break, serenades 

 his mate with sounds similar to the whirling 

 of a spinning-wheel. Most of the small 

 birds, or passeres, express their complacency 

 by sweet modulations, and a variety of 

 melodious sounds. The swallow, by a shrill 

 alarm, arouses the attention of his species, 

 and tells them that the hawk approaches. 

 Gregarious and aquatic birds, especially those 

 of the nocturnal kind, who shift their abodes 

 in the dark, are extremely noisy and loqua- 

 cious ; as cranes, wild geese, wild ducks, &c. 

 Their perpetual clamor prevents them from 

 dispersing and losing their companions. 



We shall now make a few observations on 

 domestic fowls, whose language is best 

 known, and, of course, best understood. 

 The voice of the peacock, like those of 

 many birds of the finest plumage, is harsh 

 and grating. The braying of asses, or the 

 yelling of cats, are not more disagreeable. 

 The voice of the goose clanks and sounds 

 somewhat like a trumpet ; but the gander, 

 especially when he apprehends danger to the 

 young brood, joined to his threatening 

 aspect, and the movements of his neck, 

 hisses in a manner so formidable as deters 

 the too near approach of children and of 

 small dogs. In the duck-kind, the voices of 

 the female and male are remarkably different. 

 The quack of the female is loud and sono- 

 rous ; but the voice of the drake is harsh, 

 inward, and feeble. The cock turkey, some- 

 times, when proud, blows up his wattles, 

 erects his feathers, makes a humming noise 

 by vibrating his wings, and utters a gobbling 

 kind of sound, which, though we cannot 

 describe, is perfectly understood by his own 

 species. When attacked by a boy, or any 

 other adversary, he assumes a pert ^ and 

 petulant tone; and such is the obstinate 

 courage he displays, that he will rather die 

 than give up the contest. A hen turkey, 

 when she leads forth her young brood, 

 watches them with the utmost anxiety. If a 



