German composition

Section 193 Telegraphy (S. 3, N. 2) Among Birds

I watch⁠1 a flock⁠2 of crows who, by some own correspondent of theirs, have learned that Farmer Blyth will hold a ploughing match on his grounds⁠3, and have in consequence summoned their brethren⁠4 to a diet of worms. How unconcerned they look, as if worms were nothing to them⁠5! How grave, as if it were an Ecclesiastical Convocation⁠6, and they had no thought of earthly things⁠7! Yet point⁠8 a gun, or anything like it towards them, and in a moment (App. § 14) the young birds even whose backs seemed turned to you⁠9 will give a flutter⁠10 of their wings, which appears an involuntary struggle⁠11, but in reality is as significant a danger-signal as a red flag on a railway⁠12, and is sufficient to clear the field. Nor [= And yet... not] are those crows exceptionally wise. All their feathered brethren⁠13 have made a sacred compact⁠14 that never with their consent shall salt be put upon their tails. The sparrows are not so idle that⁠15 they do not pass the word to each other when crumbs are falling thick⁠16 from some rich man’s table. The doves, though they look so innocent (S. 27, N. 8) do not spend⁠17 all their time in cooing love-songs and cradle-lullabies⁠18, or in pruning their rainbow-feathers. They have a Telegraphy of their own⁠19, and⁠20 by a mere peck, or a [das] ruffle of their feathers, can direct each other to the fields where the autumn wheat⁠21 is germinating best, or⁠22 the garden where the green peas are fullest and brightest⁠23.—Professor C. Wilson.

Notes

1 beobachten.

2 Schar, f.

3 to hold a ploughing match on one’s grounds, auf seinem Felde pflügen lassen.

4 = friends; ‘diet’, here Gericht, n.

5 This is nothing to me, dies geht mich nichts an. See App. § 33.

6 Kirchenversammlung, f.

7 to have no thought of earthly things, an nichts Irdisches denken.

8 The huntsman pointed a gun towards me, der Jäger richtete eine Flinte auf mich.

9 whose — you = that apparently seemed to turn their (S. 43, N. 9, B) back to thee.

10 to give a flutter, eine leichte flatternde Bewegung machen; of = with.

11 an involuntary struggle = quite involuntary (unwillkürlich).

12 = in the railway-service (S. 36, N. 7, A).

13 = All birds.

14 Supply ‘among (unter) one another’ here.

15 als daß; to pass the word = to give a hint.

16 to fall thick, im Überflusse auf die Erde fallen.

17 verbringen.

18 in — lullabies, mit dem Girren von Liebes-und Wiegenliedern.

19 We have a library of our own, wir haben unsere eigene Bibliothek.

20 Here follows the verb ‘can’; supply ‘with the beak’ after ‘peck’.

21 = where the wheat in autumn.

22 The prep. ‘to’ must be repeated here.

23 = stand thickest and best (schön). See S. 183, N. 24.