Our Common Birds and How to Know Them 
trait. It is also surprisingly clever in discriminating between the casual wayfarer who 
is oblivious of its presence, and him who comes to spy upon Its privacy. 
Therefore, your hunting must be full of Indian-like craft and subtlety, and your 
standpoint for observing chosen with good judgment. But, should it happen, as 
too often it will, that the bird you are following is unusually shy, and you feel doubtful 
of being able to attain a sufficiently near position, artifice may still enable you to carry 
out your design. Throw off now all appearance of stealth or watchfulness, and, assum- 
ing the guileless and unconcerned manner of the purposeless loiterer, stroll along, not 
too directly towards the bird, and_ particularly avoid any steadfast gazing. Duplicity 
of this sort will frequently outmatch your adversary’s sagacity, and should be practiced 
in its proper time. 
Another expedient for retarding a bird’s too hasty departure, sometimes adopted 
with success, is to give utterance to sundry chirps and whistles to which you will 
endeavor to impart some resemblance to bird-language. It is a fact, unlikely as it may 
seem, that a bird will often remain to answer, and will sometimes even approach quite 
near to the accomplished mimic. 
