MIND UNDER WATEB. 171 



he can succeed at this game. It is in raising the arms 

 to point the gun that the risk o£ alarming the birds 

 has to be met ; and so with a hare sitting in a form in 

 daytime. Lift your arms suddenly, and away she 

 goes ; keep your arms still, and close to your side, and 

 she will sit till you have crept up actually to her very 

 side, and can pounce on her if you choose. 



Sometimes, where fish have not been disturbed by 

 poachers, or loafers throwing stones and otherwise 

 annoying them, they will not heed a passer-by, whose 

 gentle walk or saunter does not affright them with 

 brisk motion, especially if the saunterer, on espying 

 them, in no degree alters his pace or changes his 

 manner. That wild creatures immediately detect a 

 change of manner, and therefore of mood, any one may 

 demonstrate foi' himself. They are as quick to see it 

 as the dog, who is always with his master, and knows 

 by the very way he puts a book on the table what 

 temper he is in. When a book goes with a bang on 

 the table the dog creeps under it. Wild creatures, too, 

 catch their manners from man. Walk along a lane 

 with your hands in your pockets, and you will see 

 twice as much of the birds and animals, because they 

 will not set themselves to steadfastly watch you. A 

 quick movement sets wings quickly beating. I have 

 noticed that even horses in stables do not like visitors 

 with jerky, brisk, angular ways of moving. A stranger 

 entering in a quiet, easy manner is not very objection- 

 able, but if he comes in in a bustling, citizen-like style, 

 it is quite probable that one or other horse will show a 

 wicked white corner in his eye. It roughs them up 

 the wrong way. Especially all wild creatures dislike 



