A Wary Mother 191 



these lightning-like birds struck twice and the 

 buffet of their wings sounded like the beating 

 of a carpet. 



Up and down they went, sometimes fight- 

 ing on the log and sometimes on the ground. 

 Sometimes meeting on the ground and some- 

 times in mid-air, as towards the latter part of 

 the battle each tried to pull feathers from his 

 rival's breast. 



Flash, flash, slap, slap, went their wings. 



All through the fight the older cock seemed 

 to have the better of it. Once he bowled his 

 rival over and we thought he was vanquished, 

 but the youngster was game and he soon went 

 back to the fight. 



The female partridge, sitting somewhere 

 near the log, was evidently to his liking. 

 Perhaps the old cock had gotten his sweet- 

 heart away from him; certainly he battled 

 bravely. 



At last his powerful rival dealt him a ter- 

 rible blow that left him motionless under the 

 bushes and the old cock ran to him and began 

 pecking at his head. 



