. Birds and nature . aconsiderable industry. The eggersstarting together soon separate to covertheir various routes over the cliffs, thebirds appearing in rows all over thehill side. As an egger climbs hisfamiliar trail toward the birds, acommotion becomes apparent amongthem. They jostle their neighborsabout the uneven rocks and now andthen with open bills utter a vain pro-test and crowd as far as possible fromthe intruder without deserting theireggs. But they do not stay his progressand soon a pair, then a group, andfinally, as the fright spreads, the wholevast rookery take wing toward theoce
. Birds and nature . aconsiderable industry. The eggersstarting together soon separate to covertheir various routes over the cliffs, thebirds appearing in rows all over thehill side. As an egger climbs hisfamiliar trail toward the birds, acommotion becomes apparent amongthem. They jostle their neighborsabout the uneven rocks and now andthen with open bills utter a vain pro-test and crowd as far as possible fromthe intruder without deserting theireggs. But they do not stay his progressand soon a pair, then a group, andfinally, as the fright spreads, the wholevast rookery take wing toward theocean. Instantly the Western Gullscongregate with their hollow kock-kock-ka and shrill cries adding to the din,to secure their share of the booty, andthe egger must then work rapidly tosecure the eggs. 107 THE TALK OF ANIMALS. [This is the title of an article from the London Telegraph, which is so well written, and isso interesting that we cannot deny ourselves the privilege of making liberal extracts from ]— ATURALISTS have recentlybeen discussing the interest-ing question whether or notBees can talk witheach other. Thosebest informed on the subject are, wegather, inclined to regard it as per-fectly possible. Such a view would,perhaps, astonish many minds notfamiliar with these and others of thelower creatures by daily the more people live in closenotice of animals and insects the lessinclined they will feel to draw thatvery difficult line which dividesinstinct from reason, or to set any hardand fast limit to the wonders ofNature. In fact, the very wordlower becomes sometimes an insult,a positive affront to the wonderful lifeabout us, which even proud Man him-self has scarcely a right to could, for instance, be nothingwell conceived humbler than theEarthworm. Until the illustriousDarwin took up the subject of thatdespised being no one comprehendedthe vastness of mans debt to this poor,ugly, trampled creature. The number-less millions of that
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