112 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



danger does the parent expose itself, and how 

 often, In those moments of agitation and debility, 

 must Its own life fall a sacrifice ! The sudden spring 

 and rush of a feline enemy must have proved 

 fatal in myriads of Instances. From its inception 

 to its most perfect stage, in the various species 

 that possess it, this perilous Instinct has been 

 washed In blood and made bright. 



What I have just said, that the peculiar instinct 

 and deceptive action we have been considering is 

 made and kept bright by being bathed in blood, 

 applies to all instinctive acts that tend to the 

 preservation of life, both of the individual and 

 species. Necessarily so, seeing that, for one thing, 

 instincts can only arise and grow to perfection 

 in order to meet cases which commonly occur in 

 the life of a species. The instinct is not prophetic 

 and does not meet rare or extraordinary situa- 

 tions. Unless intelligence or some higher faculty 

 comes In to supplement or to take the place of 

 instinctive action then the creature must perish on 

 account of the limitation of instinct. Again, the 

 higher and more complete the Instinct the more 

 perilous it is, seeing that its efficiency depends on 

 the absolutely perfect health and balance of all 



