UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES AFIELD 85 



old enough to leave the nest. During all this time 

 the old ones must have fed it, as it was in fairly 

 good flesh and its crop was well distended with 

 food at the time I found it. All that was neces- 

 sary in that instance was to break the hair and 

 release the bird. I put it back in the nest, where 

 it remained, as it seemed unable to stand on its 

 hurt foot; but I hoped that after having been in an 

 upright position for a time, it would regain its 

 equilibrium and establish enough circulation to en- 

 able it again to use its foot. 



At another time I saw a robin in our dooryard 

 that had so nearly been the prey of a cat, red 

 squirrel, or an owl that he had been forced to exer- 

 cise a bird's prerogative and let his tail go to save 

 his body. Farmers and people experienced in 

 handling poultry know that a rooster or turkey, 

 if grasped by the tail when pursued, can release 

 the tail feathers to escape. I have noticed several 

 instances and had my attention called to additional 

 cases proving wild birds have the same power. 

 This robin was full-grown, a bird of several seasons. 

 I knew this by the ruddy colour of his breast and 

 the dark feathering of his back; but his tail, which 

 was growing out again, was not more than three 

 fourths of an inch in length and it could be seen 

 that he missed it, for he attempted only short 

 flights in which he seemed to experience constant 

 difficulty, plunging forward, head down. 



A very peculiar thing, which I have seen but 



