THE KILLDEER. 639 



on tlie banks <>{ the Walla Walla River, near Wallula. A grove of velfow- 

 green willows sheltered our tent, but there were abundant reaches of level, 

 gTass-co\-ered allu\'ium hard by. In crossing one of these areas I was inter- 

 cepted by a Killdeer who pleaded with nie against careless steps. A few min- 

 utes search availed nothing, and I retired to the shelter of the willows some 

 fifty }'ards away : — retired and spied upon the little mother as she stole back 

 softly to her eggs. 



\\'hen I started to return, in guilty possession of the secret, she first 

 slipped away and fed nonchalantly in the distance. But when it became clear 

 that the giant would really traverse the pasture, she summoned her mate and 

 flew to the defense. The male was a timorous fowl and contented himself 

 with wallowing impotently some sixty feet away : but the mother bird 

 arranged a brilliant series of tableaux at twenty. Her object was to distract 

 attention, but as I pursued my puqjose relentlessly she dashed up. tlung herself 

 at my feet, and floundered painfully away. 



At four feet she lost control of herself altogether, and fairly shrieked her 

 solicitude. "Oh, please, ^Mister! Lookout! You'll .step on those eggs! Here, 

 look at me! I am dying! Come, eat me!" And so, Avith frightened eves, in 

 which pain and a sort of tenderness strove for masters', she paraded her 

 charms again and again in a \ain endeavor to lure me awav. 



The situation was ver}- inviting for a camera-man (albeit a green back- 

 ground proved to be impossible for instantaneous work at close range ) , and I 

 returned again and again during the brighter hours of the da\-. Xot once did 

 the little mother omit the preliminary tactics of swooning, pretended lameness, 

 and inviting distress cries. But it became evident that she feared the blunder- 

 ing step more than premeditated mischief. If I walked boldly toward the 

 eggs, as though unaware of their presence, she fairly threw herself upon me 

 in an effort to turn my course. And when I crouched, camera in hand, within 

 a few feet of the eggs, each motion of mine brought out fresh shrieks and 

 renewed posings ; whereas the play flagged whenever the liirmentor became 

 quiet. 



Of course the prime object of the posings was to excite cupidity and to 

 enlist pursuit. To this end the tawny markings of wings and tail-coverts were 

 flashed incessantly, while the body was ]iainfully dragged awav. As often as 

 the ruse failed, the bird whirled about, charged forward with droo|)ing wings, 

 as close as she dared (twice actually touching my knees), paused an instant 

 to catch my e\-e, and started off again, coaxing, tittering, and trembling, as in 

 an ecstasy of invitation. So acute was the need and so absolute the bird's 

 devotion to the imperilled cause, that she was able to put on a mask of 

 coquetr\- over her heart-break of fear, and to beam enticingly like a maiden 

 to her lover. 



Again and again I humored her plea and followed the lure; and as often, 



