Three Birds Scream to Frighten the Ghosts

The Dawn of the World, by C. Hart Merriam, [1910], at sacred-texts.com

THREE BIRDS SCREAM TO FRIGHTEN THE GHOSTS

The Southern Mewuk of the Chowchilla region say:

After a person dies his Hoo'-ne or Ghost sets out toward the ocean. On the way it has to cross a broad river on a log. While it is crossing on this log, three birds scream to frighten it--Hek-ek'-ke the Quail, Ha-chah'-we the Barn Owl, and Hah'-jen-nah a small Heron.

p. 218

If the Ghost is frightened and falls into the river it turns into a fish; but if it keeps on and crosses the log it continues westerly over the ocean and goes to the place where all the Ghosts live together, and never comes back.