The Birds' Calendar 



attention from its nest and its young are some- 

 times very amusing, and yet pathetic, as in the 

 case of the prairie-hen, which is a great adept 

 in such trickery. As one writer describes it, 

 when she is leading about her young in quest 

 of food, and is surprised by an intruder, she 

 " utters a cry of alarm. The young ones im- 

 mediately scamper to the brush; and while 

 they are skulking into places of safety, their 

 anxious parent beguiles the spectator by droop- 

 ing and fluttering her wings, limping along the 

 path, rolling over in the dirt, and other pre- 

 tences of inability to walk or fly," and con- 

 tinuing these signs of injury and distress until 

 the spectator has been lured to a safe distance. 

 At other times, when surprised upon the nest, 

 its boldness is often most heroic ; and one 

 cannot but be amazed at the wisdom often 

 displayed in so locating the nest as best to 

 conceal it from its numerous foes, while the 

 structure itself is a marvel of skill, and some- 

 times of exquisite beauty. Its instinct is noth- 

 ing short of genius. However lightly one may 

 pass over the other aspects of a bird, he may 

 well be deferential in view of its wisdom. 



Birds' nests, in all the diversity of size, loca- 

 tion, materials of composition, and style of ar- 

 312 



