142 



Gyngell : The Si7io-i7io- Time of Birds. 



a lang-uag-e so different to that which they employ at other times 

 that the most experienced are quite incapable of identifying, by 

 voice alone, birds which pass in numbers and are probably all 

 familiar species. 



Civilisation in the barn door fowl is responsible for a new 

 emotion, which is expressed by the cackling of the hen when she 

 has laid an egg. I believe no wild bird does this. 



Those who have paid any attention to wild birds kept in 

 confinement must have remarked the many different notes as 

 well as gesticulations which they use to express various 

 feelings. My pair of Bullfinches have a very large vocabulary. 

 Directly they feel that it is time to rise in the morning they 

 commence their usual piping call note, one bird answering the 

 other. Immediately they hear the sound of my pouring seed 

 into their seed pot, and before they see it, the hen bird, which 

 is a terrible shrew, gives a loud warning, intimidating, harsh 

 call, intending to cow her spouse, whilst [he utters a fainter 

 responsive cry w^hich seems to say — ' Well, my dear, I only 

 want a share, and there is enough for both of us.' When the 

 hen bird has picked out the largest seeds and he has secured 

 what he can, he feeds her from his crop, and they each alter- 

 nately pass food from one to the other over and over again, 

 whilst uttering very faint calls all the time. When I hold their 

 pot of seed in my hand just outside the open cage door the 

 birds, anxious to get at it, and yet at first too timid to venture 

 outside, utter a curious and very quiet sound. ' Crook-crook ' 

 it sounds like, and this call I have not observed at any other 

 time. 



When preparing to roost the birds fidget about for a long 

 time whilst choosing night perches, and all the time they twitter 

 in an anxious manner quite different from the ordinary. When 

 finally settled, should one bird become fidgetty again and 

 disturb another on its perch, the latter in resenting this will call 

 ' Chee-chee, chee-chee,' in a loud voice, sounds which the bird 

 makes at no other time. 



Here, perhaps, I may digress to speak of the remarkable 

 difference in the actions of birds when disturbed in the night as 

 compared with their conduct when disturbed in the daytime. 

 In daylight the least alarm causes them to flutter or seek safety 

 in flight, whilst in the darkness of night they remain perfectly 

 quiet and still. This habit is rather akin to feigning death, 

 which is so common in insects, spiders, etc., when alarmed. 



Naturalist, 



