Birds defe7idi7ig their Nests. 507 



The black-headed gull, although not so formidable, will yet 

 make a show of defending its eggs, by making sudden stoops, 

 and, at the same time, violently screaming, at any intruder : 

 this I experienced on visiting an extensive colony of these 

 birds within six miles of this place, on the 16th of June last. — 

 J. D. Salmon. Thetford, Norfolk, Dec. 18. 1834. 



Efforts in the Sparrowhawk to secure its Nest from appre- 

 hended Invasion by Man. — Nothing, indeed, is more striking 

 in the habits of animals, than the change in many of them 

 from timidity to boldness, when their helpless young demand 

 their protection. One day, in my rambling through the woods, 

 I was much entertained with an instance of this in the common 

 sparrowhawk. I was sauntering carelessly along, when I was 

 a good deal startled by the sound of wings sweeping rapidly 

 over my head, and so close as almost to touch me. On look- 

 ing up, I saw a sparrowhawk perched on a tree, a few yards 

 before me, uttering its shrill quavering note, peculiarly ex- 

 pressive of anxiety; and again it made a dash at me, and 

 continued to repeat the menace, at intervals, with great im- 

 petuosity, until I had got to some distance. I was at no 

 loss to conclude that there was a nest near the place ; and, on 

 returning the same way, found it without much difficulty. — 

 C. B. Edinburgh, October 16. 1834. 



[The Fork-tailed Kite. — It is stated, in VII. 51 1., of one, a 

 female, that it pecked a hole through the hat of a boy, and 

 scratched his hand " properly, before he could make her go 

 off the nest."] 



M Are all Birds in the Habit of alluring Intruders from their 

 Nests? " (VII. 483, 484.) — Mr. Conway, the querist in this 

 case, seems to lean to the affirmative side of the question. He 

 gives the well-known instances of the lapwing and the grouse ; 

 after which he relates the case of a skylark, which, on being 

 captured on her nest, feigned death ; but, on his " remaining 

 quiet for a very short period, the bird began moving ; and, 

 with one wing trailing along the ground, and shuffling along 

 as if one of her legs had been broken, she proceeded for a 

 considerable distance, and then took wing." I am induced 

 to think that in this case it was fear, rather than parental 

 solicitude, that caused the bird to act as she did. Would 

 she have affected lameness, if she had simply been scared from 

 her nest ? I suspect not. Then follows a curious case of a 

 nightingale luring him from her nest. To these instances he 

 might have added many others, such as the common sheldrake, 

 they grey squaterol or plover, the fallow chat, or wheatear, the 

 dipper, the grey or common partridge, &c. &c. A little 

 further observation would, however, convince us that, although 



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