40 
BIRD-LIFE. 
the lead of the community. The warning cry of the 
Godwit ( Limosa ) is sure to alarm a whole flock of waders 
of every description along the shore. The same expression 
from the throat of a Book scares a flight of Starlings. 
The Pheasant pays attention to the warning cry of the 
Robin. By the borders of the African lakes I learnt, 
from my inmost heart, to detest the spur-winged Plover 
(Hoplopterus spinosa ), for the reason that it always acted 
as sentry to all the marsh- and water-birds in the 
neighbourhood: these, ever difficult of approach, it 
never failed to inform of my presence in the clearest 
manner possible. All his protegees can interpret his call; 
should he be only quarrelling with those of his own 
species, the other wild-fowl would remain perfectly 
unconcerned, yet the moment his warning cry was heard 
they took wing. In a similar manner many birds make 
themselves understood by others not of their own class, 
with whom they have little or no resemblance; yes, they 
will even act as monitors to creatures belonging quite to 
other divisions of the animal kingdom. The crocodile 
does not disregard the call of the Ziczac, or black-headed 
Plover (Hyas JEgijptiacus ), his “ watchman,” as the natives 
call it. 
This faculty of speech is common to both sexes, 
though not in the same degree. In the bird-world the 
male is the talkative, and the female the silent, member 
of the family; it is only the reverse in cases where the 
female almost entirely undertakes the bringing up of the 
young: but in this case the mother requires also a more 
extended vocabulary. The domestic Hen has a much 
richer language than the Cock, and even adds thereto 
other quite peculiar sounds—words—when she has a 
brood. Generally, however, the voice of the male is 
