56 KNOWING BIRDS THROUGH STORIES 



there not been an abundance of fish for the mink, of craw- 

 fish for the coons, and of frogs for both, no doubt there 

 would have been none of Johnnie's children left by the 

 time they were a month old. As it was a mink got two and 

 a coon one before they were large enough to roost with 

 safety in the middle of the lake, and it was a happy time 

 for Johnnie Greenhead and his spouse when at the age of 

 six weeks their remaining family were able to fly, for now 

 they were not only able to escape from their four-legged 

 enemies by flight, but were on a more nearly equal footing 

 with the duck hawka 



Every dawn they flew away from the lake and surveyed 

 the surrounding country, sometimes swimming or feeding 

 in one of the many lakes of the vicinity. According to 

 the traditions of their race, the parents taught their family 

 to rise high at once on taking flight and to fly above the 

 range of a shotgun. Moreover, they taught the equally im- 

 portant habit of circling over a place and examining it 

 carefully before alighting. Their excursions led them far- 

 ther and farther away until they were well acquainted with 

 all the country for many miles about. 



One dawn, while flying over a small pond near a cabin, 

 they saw some objects in the water that looked like 

 ducks. Forgetting their usual caution they settled, almost 

 to the water's edge, when there was a flash and a deaf- 

 ening noise and Johnnie and several of his family felt 

 the sting of shot in their flesh. Fortunately the shot 

 were small and the ducks were at the opposite of the 

 pond. None were killed, but for days they were sore. 

 Johnnie had learned the lesson of decoys, a lesson most 

 ducks never learn, and never again would he make 

 the mistake of alighting without carefully examining 



