1909 ] Palmer, Instinctive Stillness in Birds. 25 



to the water, the heron all the time standing upright and immobile 

 with its breast toward me, the neck upstretched and the bill pointed 

 skyward. I could plainly see the irides, but the bird, now about 

 twenty-five feet off, stood absolutely still for perhaps twenty min- 

 utes until I arose and then it flew off. 



A friend recently told me of a singular and most unusual instance 

 so far as man is concerned. A party of hunters at Catlett's station 

 in King William County, Virginia, had started a Wild Turkey 

 (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in the woods which flew out 

 over an old field of sage grass (Andropogon) and alighted into it. 

 Marking the distance and calling the dogs they worked toward the 

 place and after considerable search failed to find the game until 

 suddenly one of the dogs came to a stand. Even then no turkey 

 was visible and they were about to give up the attempt when one 

 of the hunters who had stood in one place watching the men and 

 dogs, felt his hand touch something. Looking down he was sur- 

 prised to see the turkey at his feet crouching and motionless with 

 outstretched neck. It surely deserved a better fate than to be 

 promptly seized by the neck. 



On the side of Mount Shasta in California on a large fallen tree 

 trunk a party of five saw a Blue-tailed Grouse (Dendragapus 

 obscurus sierrce) in a motionless and crouching posture with neck 

 outstretched. It permitted Dr. M. W. Lyon, Jr., and myself to 

 get on the base of the tree and to slowly walk within twelve feet 

 before it suddenly took flight down the mountain side. 



Another instance of this kind has been told me by Mr. N. R. 

 Wood. He was in a field watching a hen that had a brood of 

 chickens when an approaching hawk was noticed; uttering her note 

 of alarm the chicks instantly scattered into the surrounding vegeta- 

 tion, except one, which was probably the last to take alarm and 

 judging the danger imminent stiffened at once into the characteristic 

 position. In another case all of a flock acted in a similar manner. 



Walking through a field of short grass in Virginia I noticed some 

 distance ahead a covey of half-grown Quail (Colinus virginianus) . 

 Approaching somewhat carelessly, but with the intention of ascer- 

 taining how near I could get to them, I was surprised to find that I 

 could not see the birds. Standing still I slowly scanned the ground 

 over but without success until suddenly I caught the blinking of 



