Feeding and Protection of Young Birds. 103 



unable to fly. Xo sooner has the startled intruder 

 recovered from his surprise than he gives chase, in 

 the ahnost certain hope of catching the \YOunded 

 bird, which flaps and tumbles along a yard or two 

 in front of him. Exactly what the wily creature 

 desires him to do ; and as soon as he has been 

 enticed a safe distance away, up she jumps as hale 

 and Avell as any bird alive, and mounting the air, 

 flies off" laughing at her disappointed dupe, who 

 turns round in the vain hope of retracing his steps 

 to the spot from which the winged trickster first 

 started. Even if he succeeded it would be quite 

 useless, for directly the mother bird fluttered away 

 the cunnino- chicks scattered helter-skelter north, 

 south, east and west, as if they had not the least 

 connection with each other. When the danger has 

 quite passed the parent bird returns to the spot 

 and calls her children up to her. Along they all 

 run as fast as their little feet will carry them, and 

 as soon as the excitement is over and they have 

 congratulated their clever old mother upon the 

 success of her cunning, and she them upon their 

 prompt dispersal, they fall back upon the two great 

 pursuits of their wild lives : looking out for food 

 and enemies. 



A few species defend their young by attacking 

 their enemies in the most courageous manner. The 

 Common Skua, which breeds in the Shetland 

 Islands, is one of these birds, and I have repeatedly 

 had my cap dashed off my head by it when 



