BUZZARD'S REST. 41 



trick of species liaunting shrubbery that took me sev- 

 eral years to discover. 



While it so happened that no kingfisher or heron 

 rested on any of the trees, there was a host of smaller 

 birds, yellow warblers and mottled tree-creepers being 

 noticeably abundant. I was much struck with the in- 

 difference of these birds to the proximity of the vult- 

 ures. They hunted for insects on the very branches 

 whereon the latter were sittinc^. and often were within 

 a dozen feet of them. They had evidently learned to 

 discriminate between them and birds of prey. Their 

 fearlessness brought to mind the young poultry that I 

 carefully observed some months previously. Under the 

 pines in my yard, clucking hens had been guiding to 

 the best scratchings their broods of quarter - grown 

 chicks, while above them the busy grakles had been 

 passing two and fro all day long. Never for a moment 

 did the chickens regard them. Their shadows darted, 

 like swallows, across the sunlit sward, yet never a chick 

 started as this trick of light and shade crossed and re- 

 crossed its path. 



Once, while watching them, a sly sparrow-hawk darted 

 from tree to tree, and its shadow at once caused every 

 chick to cower, even before the mother-hen uttered her 

 warning cluck. I am convinced these chickens saw a 

 difference in that shadow, and caught no glimpse of the 

 bird. 



I suppose the difference between harmless species and 

 birds of prey is taught their young by the parent birds, 

 and argues well for the mental capabilities of the for- 



