224 Wild Birds 



nest in just this attitude, expressive of attention and wariness, 

 bordering on fear. (Fig. 136.) 



A hawk, owl, crow, cat, snake, or any well-known or dreaded 

 enemy of birds will set the community in a hubbub in a very 

 short time. Birds of other species hurry to the scene out of 

 sympathy or curiosity, as some would say, but probably more 

 from instinct of a different character. The smallest spark often 

 kindles the largest blaze. Thus while passing through a pasture 

 last June I happened to encounter a Robin with mouth stuffed 

 with food, as if on the way to her nest. She at once set up a 

 loud cry, and mounting the bare branch of a dead apple tree, in 

 five minutes drummed up eleven different birds, among which I 

 recognized the Baltimore Oriole, Brown Thrush, two Catbirds, 

 Chestnut-sided Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Maryland Yellow 

 Throat, Song Sparrow, Chickadee, the Redstart, and a Goldfinch, 

 many of which became excited and joined in the general outcry. 



To return to a subject which has been mentioned more than 

 once in this work, the brooding instinct of the Flicker fur- 

 nishes a beautiful illustration of how the strong sense of fear may 

 be checked by a stronger and contrary impulse. When a nest 

 of these birds was discovered on the third of June, a gentle tap- 

 tap on the hollow apple tree was quickly answered ; a polished 

 chisel-shaped bill was thrust through the window and quickly 

 withdrawn; another tap, and the graceful form of this Wood- 

 pecker appeared, and spreading to view the black, white, and 

 gold of her ornamental quills, she went off like a flash, without 

 a sound. There were seven eggs in the nest, and fear was still 

 in control. 



Compare her actions a week later, when there were young 

 about four days old. The tree giving no sign of life on the 

 morning of the eleventh day of June, I cut a square block from 

 its side well below the circular door which had been already 

 chiseled out by the bird (Figs. 43, 137), and was astonished to 

 see the Flicker sitting motionless as the Sphinx. She had not 

 moved a feather, not even to shake off the sawdust which had 

 rained over her handsome back and head. I stroked her with 

 my finger, enclosed her in my hand, lifted her up, and unfolded 



