WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



worms are appetising morsels in the opinion of 

 owls, kestrels, and such birds as prey on small 

 creatures, so no doubt the hawk, after the 

 manner of its kind, had dropped down from the 

 sky upon the unsuspecting reptile, dashing, or 

 rather falling upon it, and grabbing the first 

 part that came handy, which happened to be 

 the tail. But the slowworm was not so helpless 

 as it looked ; with a wriggle and kick it would 

 be free, gliding off through the grass before the 

 kestrel realised what had happened, and that it 

 only held a bit of worthless tail. No doubt at 

 my approach the bird had dropped this and 

 had made off. As I have said, the tail was still 

 wriggling when I came up, and continued to do 

 so for some minutes. Unfortunately I could not 

 stop long to watch it, but when I came back 

 about half an hour later it was still able to re- 

 spond to a poke. Truly the wriggles were but 

 feeble ones, yet the muscles were still capable of 

 some contraction when stimulated by poking. 



What a strange idea it seems; fancy being 

 able, when threatened by a foe, to throw off 

 such an important part as a tail, and slip 

 away, while it dances on the ground and 

 occupies his attention ! 



The loss is not such a serious one to the 



244 



