BIRDS AND ALL NATURE. ILLUSTRATED BY COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY. VOL. IV. DECEMBER, 1898. No. 6 CONTENTS. Page VOICES. 201 THE AFRICAN LION. 207 A SYMBOL. 208 THE CACTUS. 211 MYTHS AND THE MISTLETOE. 212 THE FLYING-SQUIRREL. 215 HUMMING-BIRDS. 216 CHRISTMAS TREES. 220 A WINTER'S WALK. 221 THE SILK-WORM. 222 ANIMALS' RIGHTS. 225 THE CALIFORNIA VULTURE. 226 A GAMELESS COUNTRY. 229 SNOWFLAKES. 229 THE AMERICAN GOLDEN-EYE. 230 GOLDEN ROD. 230 THE AMERICAN SKUNK. 233 BIRDS IN "THE ILIAD." 234 SUMMARY. 238 INDEX. i VOICES. W. E. WATT. All animals with lungs have some sort of contrivance in the windpipe that is able to set the air in vibration as it is expelled or inhaled. Some have not only this means of making vocal sound, but have also power to vary the quality and intensity of it. Out of this second ability come speech and song. Ants converse with their antennæ, having no lungs nor windpipe. Bees do the same. Those of her attendants who first perceive the absence of the queen from the hive apply their antennæ to the feelers of their companions. The ensuing excitement settles the question as to their ability to talk. This shows that while voice is the usual organ of language there is yet a good deal of conversation going on about us that is not expressed in words, just as there is much music performed by insect orchestras with no vocal contributions. Hares and Rabbits never use their voices except when suffering intensely. When caught by an enemy or wounded in the chase they utter the only cry that ever escapes from their throats. Spasmodic agitation of the chest muscles and the larynx gives forth the sound. Such unintentional utterances are frequent in other animals that use their voices freely when nothing has injured them, as the death shrieks of cattle and the screams of horses attacked by wolves.