ON BIRDS. 37 



top of a wall, and by flying rapidly against it 

 drive it away. This affection I have frequently 

 seen in partridges and peewits, or plovers. When 

 they have considered their young to be in danger, 

 they will fly along the ground just before the 

 person who is near their brood, flapping their 

 wings as if they were wounded, and uttering 

 piercing cries, thus drawing the intruder after 

 them. It is a pleasing instance of maternal 

 affection. 



I do not know whether any of you remember 

 an extraordinary flight of the small blue or rock- 

 pigeon which took place over Brighton some 

 years ago. I am informed that there was a 

 similar one last year at this place. Where they 

 come from, or where they go to, I am unable to 

 inform you. In North America the flights of 

 these birds are so enormous that they continue 

 in one long, broad line for miles together, and to- 

 wards evening they settle on trees in the forests, 

 breaking down some of the branches, and many 

 falling on the ground perfectly exhausted. The 

 farmers in the neighbourhood know pretty well 

 the time of this annual migration, and drive 

 their pigs into the woods to feed and fatten on 

 the pigeons. 



