FASCINATION 287 



escaped fishes acquired, he makes exceedingly rapid 

 progress. 



But, even after the completion of his education, 

 when he is independent of his parents, and quick 

 and sure as they at capturing fishes down in their 

 own dim element, is it not still a puzzle and a 

 mystery that such a thing can be done? And here 

 I speak not only of the little grebe, but of all birds 

 that dive after fishes, and pursue and capture them 

 in fresh or salt water. We see how a kingfisher takes 

 his prey, or a tern, or gannet, or osprey, by dropping 

 upon it when it swims near the surface; he takes 

 his fish by surprise, as a sparrow-hawk takes the 

 birds he preys upon. But no specialisation can 

 make an air-breathing, feathered bird an equal of 

 the fish under water. One can see at a glance in 

 any clear stream that any fish can out-distance any 

 bird, darting off with the least effort so swiftly as 

 almost to elude the sight, while the fastest bird under 

 water moves but little faster than a water rat. 



The explanation, I believe, is that the paralysing 

 effect on many small, persecuted creatures in the 

 presence of, or when pursued by, their natural enemies 

 and devourers, is as common under as above water. 

 I have distinctly seen this when watching fish-eating 

 birds being fed at the Zoological Gardens in glass 

 tanks. The appearance of the bird when he dives 

 strikes an instant terror into them ; and it may then 

 be seen that those which endeavour to escape are 



