238 BOMBAY DUCKS 



of fiery red. The most conspicuous feature of the 

 moving thing seems, as it were, to obliterate, to render 

 invisible, all others. 



Thus, when horses are racing, the attitude which is 

 so striking as to swallow up all others is that of the 

 straining animals with extended legs. As a matter of 

 actual fact, the horses' legs are doubled up under the 

 body just as frequently as they are stretched out. The 

 doubled-up horse is, however, not a striking object, so 

 the eye fails to retain it, and notices only the pant- 

 ing steeds with outstretched legs. This phenomenon 

 accounts for the fact that photographs of racing horses 

 are almost always disappointing ; they appear unnatural 

 and seem to exhibit the animals in all manner of im- 

 possible and awkward attitudes. 



During flight the paddy- bird emits at intervals a 

 guttural croak — not a cheerful sound, but one in keep- 

 ing with the character of the bird. When at rest his 

 appearance is not prepossessing. His attitude is mis- 

 anthropic. He looks as though he shunned the com- 

 pany of other birds, and desired above all to be allowed 

 to remain in peace. Yet the paddy -bird is not a 

 quarrelsome creature. Dozens will sit in a row along 

 the margin of a lake, separated by short intervals, and 

 not one will take the least notice of any of the others. 

 I have never seen two paddy -birds fighting. I have, 

 indeed, seen one fly up to where another was standing, 

 but the latter promptly flew away, without even casting 

 a backward glance at the intruder. The truth is that 

 it requires two energetic persons to organize a fight, and 

 where are these to be found in paddy-bird society ? 



