The Birds' Calendar 



entire the person into pursuit of herself; utter- 

 ing at the same time certain peculiar notes of 

 alarm, well understood by the young, who dive 

 separately among the grass, and secrete them- 

 selves till the danger is over ; and the parent 

 having decoyed the pursuer to a safe distance, 

 returns by a circuitous route, to collect and lead 

 them off. This well-known manoeuvre, which 

 nine times in ten is successful, is honorable to 

 the feelings and judgment of the bird, but a 

 severe satire on man. The affectionate moth- 

 er, as if sensible of the avaricious cruelty of his 

 nature, tempts him with a larger prize, to save 

 her more helpless offspring ; and pays him, as 

 avarice and cruelty ought always to be paid, 

 with mortification and disappointment. ' ' 



Having accorded the due meed of praise to 

 the female, in the foregoing account, it is only 

 fair that I should do equal justice to her lord 

 and master, by quoting the following eulogy 

 from another writer, who says of him, ' ' He is 

 willing to take any amount of the family re- 

 sponsibility. Nature cannot ask too much of 

 him : he will whistle to two or three wives if 

 necessary ; and he \y\\\ even accept the law of 

 Moses, and assume the part of husband toward 

 his brother's widow. Should his wife propose 



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