and then he also flies off repeating the note of alarm.

And in the woods about Senegal there is a bird called uett-uett by the
negroes, and squallers by the French, which, as soon as they see a man, set
up a loud scream, and keep flying round him, as if their intent was to warn
other birds, which upon hearing the cry immediately take wing. These birds
are the bane of sportsmen, and frequently put me into a passion, and
obliged me to shoot them, (Adanson's Voyage to Senegal, 78). For the same
intent the lesser birds of our climate seem to fly after a hawk, cuckoo, or
owl, and scream to prevent their companions from being surprised by the
general enemies of themselves, or of their eggs and progeny.

But the lapwing, (charadrius pluvialis Lin.) when her unfledged offspring
run about the marshes, where they were hatched, not only gives the note of
alarm at the approach of men or dogs, that her young may conceal
themselves; but flying and screaming near the adversary, she appears more
felicitous and impatient, as he recedes from her family, and thus
endeavours to mislead him, and frequently succeeds in her design. These
last instances are so apposite to the situation, rather than to the natures
of the creatures, that use them; and are so similar to the actions of men
in the same circumstances, that we cannot but believe, that they proceed
from a similar principle.

Miss M.E. Jacson acquainted me, that she witnessed this autumn an agreeable
instance of sagacity in a little bird, which seemed to use the means to
obtain an end; the bird repeatedly hopped upon a poppy-stem, and shook the
head with its bill, till many seeds were scattered, then it settled on the
ground, and eat the seeds, and again repeated the same management. Sept. 1,
1794.