The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-02
NOT ALWAYS JOYFUL.
Angry Children of Birds Sometimes
Taken for PIeasurabIe Pneans.
From knowledge.


When cat or dog snarls we know
that the sound is intended to express ha-
tired and a threat of attack. The lowing
of COW or of a calf, the beating Of
a kid the snorting of a horse and its
whnneying can hardly be misunderstood.
But the meanings of the cries of birds
are less obvious. The cooling of a dove
or the warbling of a fluent singer may
seem to be as expressive as any note
of the quadrupeds just mentioned, but
when attention is given to the actions
which accompany the cries of birds
observer finds that some very pleasant
sounds are incidental to very unkind be-
haVior. In a few cases the comba UiveneSs
of a bird is fairly well suggestive by its
cry-as occurs in the common fowl, whose
Crow is as defiant as a bugle blast.
The shrek of the woodland jay, also, is
very expressive. These sounds, however,
do not represent the greatest passion. We
must listen to birds actually engaged in
combat in order to hear the expression
of their utmost hate--their worse Ian
guage and, listening thus, we often make
the discovery that the sound accompany
ing an attempt at murder is closely like
sometimes apparently identical With
sounds which seem to be joyous song. The
little brown wren mounts to the top of
the hedge and sings a sprightly song. The
notes seem to be the spontaneous out
pouring of joy. Twenty yards further
along the hedge another wren mounts to
the topmost twig, pecks its tail and ut
tiers a similar lively tune. No l flies a
little way toward No. 2 and sings again.
Here, then, is a pleasing sylvan duet. But
soon the wrens are fighting furiously,
tumbling over and over each other at
the bottom of the hedge, while at inter
walls snatches of the same dainty ditty are
heard They sing in the intervals of fight-
ing what seemed a song of peace and
love. In view of what the birds are doing
it may be surmised that their language
at this moment is very bad indeed. But
instead of the sprightly wren the sedate
robin may be under observation. If a
singing robin be watched, and especially
in autumn, he will be seen to attack any
other singing robin which may be near
yet the birds will be singing all the while.
and their songs will be like the ordinary
songs of the species, though trifle sharp
er in tone. The music is evidently in
tended TO convey the animosity of the
birds. The hedge sparrow twitters in quite
a subdued tone when fighting: yet it new
ertheless seems to be singing. The will
low wren sings in ordinary tone when
about TO attack rival The nightingale
is somewhat pugnacious, and / have sew
eral times seen two fighting Il once saw
three but no song notes were then given
Among the fnches and buntings a com
bat is often accompanied by a slight twit-
tering, somewhat similar to rapid repei-
tons of the call note. malice and love
having thus the same tone; but some she.
cies employ a particular note. The chat
finch has only one cry when fighting be
his enemy bird or beast. That cry is the
comomn note. "tinb." or ''finh" The male
house sparrow is one of the most silent
of fighters. When male sparrows intend to
fight they hop about restlessly near each
other, their feathers held very close and
their tails flirting up and down almost
continuously. Presently one Of the birds
darts al the other and tries to give him
lance thrust with the bill, the other
springs aside and the aggressor alignts
near and the flirting of the tails continues.
But all this time the birds utter no CIV
When the contest has reached the stage
of a struggle in the nest place. however
there is some noise, scuhl.ng ard scream.
ine. The cries are not the tones of love;
they are expressions of fury.
There are many species which give the
fun song during the combat l have heard
the full song of the tree ppit sung by
bird fshung furiously. When first seen
the birds were fighting in flight they fell
10 the ground together and in this posi-
ton. and when l was not more than three
wards distant one Of them uttered ,he
ful1 song. including even the final "whee
whee. vince" which IS usually uttered
while the bird is descending on outstretch-
ed motionless wings. The common pied
wagiail. when attacking another. utters
cries which seem to be his ordicary cal
notes. ard the same incident may be OBJ
served in the skylark. Last summer a lark
was singing as usual above his meadow
and another singing lark approached and