26 Palmer, Instinctive Stillness in Birds [j^ 



an eye. On the instant it seemed that the bird realized that I had 

 seen it for immediately it took flight. 



We have a canary, a dark bird with a streaky plumage, that we 

 often allow the freedom of the kitchen and pantry. At first it was 

 greatly averse to being handled but now offers little resistance if 

 caught. It often comes when called yet occasionally it is perverse. 

 At such times when looked for it is generally motionless and will 

 when seen sometimes utter an inquisitive note, but is usually mute. 

 If it happens to be on a dark object, or in the shade it is sometimes 

 overlooked and will not answer, but will allow itself to be picked up. 

 If, however, it is on an object of a light color, or in the light, it acts 

 differently and when approached will suddenly take flight, run off, 

 or hop on to a finger. In its habits it is very unlike the ordinary 

 yellow bird, is very intelligent and seems instinctively to realize its 

 unusual coloration. 



On the Potomac River, above the Great Falls in Virginia, I once 

 surprised a female Summer Duck (Aix sponsa) with a brood of 

 eight quarter-grown young. In her excitement she fluttered greatly 

 and uttering loud cries of alarm soon made off. Meanwhile the 

 young paddled swiftly to the shore where I saw all land some fifty 

 feet up the stream. I hurried to the spot but failed to see any of 

 them after they had reached the shore. 



To surprise a Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) with little ones 

 is quite an experience in still mimicry. Though the twelve or 

 fifteen young may for a few moments be running in every direction, 

 and knowing that all are within a few feet crouching and quiet, 

 it is a difficult matter to pick up more than one or two, but more 

 probably none. How often one has walked to within a few feet of 

 an unsuspected grouse, or Woodcock (Philohela minor), only to 

 have it fly off suddenly, yet one is rarely seen before it starts, and it 

 is exceedingly difficult to find one if it remains quiet even when we 

 know about where it had alighted. Perhaps the best example of 

 this immobility and then sudden flight at the possibly critical 

 moment, at least where man is the intruder, is afforded by the 

 American Bittern (Botaurus Jentiginosus), as its color and fine 

 shading in its marshy environment with its almost erect motionless 

 attitude is a fair illustration of my subject and suggests at once that 

 the coloration of the bird assumed its present well known distinctive 



