BIRDS IN A VILLAGE iii 



enemy from the neighbourhood of its nest is in 

 full possession of all its faculties, acting con- 

 sciously, and itself in as little danger of capture 

 as when on its perch or flying through the air. 

 We have seen that the action has its root in the 

 bird's passion for its young, and intense soHcItude 

 in the presence of any danger threatening them, 

 which is so universal in this class of creatures, and 

 which expresses itself so variously in different 

 kinds. This must be in all cases a painful and 

 debilitating emotion, and when the bird drops 

 down to the earth its pain has caused it to fall 

 as surely as if it had received a wound or had 

 been suddenly attacked by some grievous malady; 

 and when it flutters on the ground It is for the 

 moment Incapable of flight, and Its efforts to re- 

 cover flight and safety cause It to beat its wings, 

 and tremble, and gasp with open mouth. The 

 object of the action is to deceive an enemy, or, 

 to speak more correctly, the result is to deceive, 

 and there is nothing that will more inflame and 

 carry away any rapacious mammal than the sight 

 of a fluttering bird. But in thus drawing upon 

 Itself the attention of an enemy threatening the 

 safety of Its eggs or young, to what a terrible 



