ORGANS OF VOICE. 
61 
qqite dead: and, upon examination, discovered that it had 
actually broken a blood-vessel by its exertions, and thus 
perished. 
That the notes and cries of birds serve them instead 
of language, there can he little doubt ; one person indeed is 
on record, who having passed much of his time in boyhood 
alone, in lonely situations, had by close attention acquired 
such a knowledge of this language, that from the song of the 
parents he knew where the nests were situated, whether 
they contained eggs, or whether the brood was hatched, 
knowing even the number of young birds, and their age, 
before he saw them. # In fact, a common observer may, in 
some instances, understand their different notes, and all 
their different wants and emotions, as well as 'the birds 
themselves do. 
Thus, while walking in a wood, if we happen to get sight 
of a flock of J ays before they chance to notice our approach- 
ing, they will he seen enjoying themselves, and chattering in 
seeming confusion. Suddenly, one will he heard to utter a 
peculiar short deeper-toned note, when in an instant all is 
silent, and they may be seen skulking off one by one, only 
to he heard again when. they have sheltered themselves at a 
considerable distance. Crows and Fieldfares, with many 
others of what are called congregating birds, or those that 
live together, act in the same manner. Every sportsman 
knows how difficult it is to get within gunshot of a large 
flock of these birds, though they appear to he so busily em- 
ployed in picking up their food in a meadow, that it might 
he supposed they saw nothing else. 
The fact is, they very often do see nothing, and think of 
nothing, beyond the food they are in search of; because, on 
the hough of some neighbouring tree, a good look-out is 
kept by one of the party, and the moment the sentinel 
Crow, or Eook, gives out his well-known caw of alarm, or 
the Fieldfare its peculiar jarring cry, away go the main 
body beyond the reach of the fowler, who thought he could 
* See Quarterly Review , on Lord Holland’s Life of Lope de Vega ; 
vol. xviii., p. 36. 
