182 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



greater part of its life thereon, seldom essaying flight for more 

 than a few seconds at a time. When disturbed by the 

 presence of some intruder it seeks safety by running swiftly 

 along the ground, dodging in and out among the tussocks and 

 long grass, and occasionally coming to a full stop for a 

 moment to cast a swift glance around ; then, if the pursuit 

 be maintained, it will rise suddenly, fly to a distance of a 

 hundred yards, and again ahght on the beloved earth, only to 

 resume its former tactics. As a matter of fact, it is the 

 Pi})it's golden rule to escape from danger by running rather 

 than to betray its presence by flight. Should the bird wish 

 to enter an adjacent paddock and be compelled to pass houses 

 en route, it will rise (luickly, fly high, and fall as rapidly upon 

 the new pasture on the other side. A direct flight of, say, 25 

 yards will occupy about five seconds, while a run in a 

 straight line of 15 yards will take approximately the same 

 time. 



If a quairel arise between a pair of these birds, a long, 

 rapid, and ziz-zag flight follows, little in accord with the usual 

 short, un venturesome flight. 



The congregations of this bird in the season when most 

 species agree to associate are seldom more than ten or twelve 

 in a flock. At other times the pairs, by themselves or with 

 their young, are seen by daylight almost in any green or brown 

 field, or may be heard at nightfall, when other birds are 

 making straight for home by all the rural short cuts known 

 to them. Wherever a dry channel offers itself the bird will 

 use it for escape by running, and in this way I noticed, some 

 time ago, a young W^hite -fronted Chat trying to evade 

 observation and make its escape. Both this bird and the 

 Pipit feign an injury or youthful weakness to distract one's 

 attention from the nest of eggs or young that the parent 

 birds have been forced to leave owing to an intruder's 

 presence. 



