62 
ORGANS OF VOICE. 
escape observation, by lurking behind a tree, or stealing 
behind a hedge -bank. A person familiar with the notes of 
birds has no difficulty whatever in distinguishing between 
the sounds of pleasure and alarm. If he hears the Swal- 
lows screaming in a certain note, he is as well aware that cats 
or Hawks are about, as if they could tell him so in common 
language. We once happened to hear a loud outcry amongst 
a parcel of Sparrows, Tomtits, and Chaffinches ; the noise 
w T as evidently not their usual note of pleasure, neither was it 
the clamorous scream they utter when fighting. The bustle 
occurred within a yard of our window, too near for a Hawk 
to venture ; neither was there a cat within sight, — nothing 
of the sort ; but still the din increased, and the bush shook 
again with fiutterings of wings and clacking of tongues ; 
when, at last, we espied a pair of inquisitive eyes, and 
a little sharp snout poked out from the twigs, at the bottom 
of the bush. It was a weasel, which on seeing that it was 
discovered, took to its heels ; and in an instant the cries of 
the Sparrows ceased, and the whole party dispersed. 
It is scarcely necessary to remind the reader of the lan- 
guage so well known in the poultry-yard. The cluck of the 
Hen, when she calls her chickens together ; her shriek, if a 
Hawk is seen flying over the brood, and the rapid rush of 
chickens under her wings ; and her cackle of pride or 
pleasure, when she announces to the whole farm-yard the im- 
portant fact of her having laid an egg. Even a young 
chicken has a power of language easily understood. Take, 
for instance, one of four or five days old, and hold it up to a 
window where there are flies, and it will immediately seize 
them, with a little twittering note of pleasure ; but if a wasp 
or bee is placed before it, at once its note becomes harsh, ex- 
pressing its dislike as well as fears. 
Nobody can doubt, who sees a bird singing, clapping its 
little wings, turning from side to side, and glancing its 
bright eyes in all directions, as if courting attention and 
admiration, that it feels delight and satisfaction. Did we 
require further proof, we have but to recollect that the song- 
bird is most on the alert with the music of his voice when 
