AFFECTIONS OF BIEDS. lo^l 



SO about that town in the autumn, that lie killed s-ixteen 

 himseli" in one afternoon: he added farther, that some had 

 appeared since in every autumn ; but he could not find that 

 any had been observed before the season in which he shot 

 so many. 1 myself have found these birds in little parties in 

 the autumn, cantoned all along the Sussex downs, wherever 

 there were shrubs and bushes, from Chichester to Lewes ; 

 pai'ticularly in the autumn of 1770. 



LETTER LIT. 



TO THE HON. DAINES BAEEINGTON. 



Selborne, March 26, \71?x 

 Dear Sie, — The more I reflect on the oropy?), or natural 

 affection of animals, the more I am astonished at its effects. 

 Nor is the -sdolence of its affection more wonderful than the 

 shortness of its duration.* Thus every hen is in her turn 

 the virago of the yard, in proportion to the helplessness of 

 her brood; and will fly in the face of a dog or a sow in 

 defence of those chickens, which in a few weeks she will 

 drive before her with relentless cruelty. 



This aflection sublimes the passions, quickens the inven- 

 tion, and sharpens the sagacity of the brute creation. Thus 

 an hen, just become a mother, is no longer that placid bird 

 she used to be ; but, with feathers standing on end, wings 

 hovering, and cluckiug note, she runs about like one pos- 

 sessed. Dams will throw themselves in the way of the 

 greatest danger in order to avert it from their progeny. 

 Thus a partridge will tumble along before a sportsman, m 

 order to draw away the dogs from her helpless covey. lu 

 ihe time of nidification, the most feeble birds will assault the 



* There are two well authenticated instances on record of bustards sttark- 

 ing men on horseback at night, when their haunts have been invaded, and 

 probably in defence of their young. One instance is mentioned on his own 

 knowledge by Sir Richard Colt Hoare in hia History of Wilts, and the other 

 I think, by Sir. Gilp-'n. — Ed. 



