256 Wonders of the Bird World 



flew for all he was worth, and at last took shelter in a bush, 

 with the Hawk waiting in the air above for her quarry to 

 be driven out. This was done with much shouting and 

 cracking of whips, and when the Rook sallied forth again, 

 the Hawk was ready for him and made a determined 

 assault, which the Rook avoided as before, and then took 

 refuge in another clump of bushes, each time getting 

 nearer and nearer to the wood in which his mate had 

 secured her retreat. The Rook was by this time frightened 

 and exhausted and sat with his bill open, being very re- 

 luctant to take wing again. After a few minutes' rest, 

 however, he once more flew into the open, and on the 

 Hawk again missing her swoop, he beat bravely on, and 

 gained the friendly shelter he had battled so courageously 

 to reach. I am sorry to say that my daughter's appreciation 

 of the courage of the Rook and her delight at the plucky 

 escape of the latter did not meet with due response in the 

 mind of the falconer, who said — "Yes, missie, but how 

 about the poor Hawk ? " The latter was, however, subse- 

 quently regaled with a meal off a Rook which she killed 

 in splendid style a little later on in the afternoon, and one 

 can only suppose that the old bird she had tackled un- 

 successfully in the morning was endued with extra cunning, 

 and was rather savage at the interruption to his courting- 

 dance. 



A curious instance of dancing-habits is observed in the 

 "Jacana" (or " Jassana," as Mr. Hudson tells us we are to 

 call the bird) of South America {Jacana jacana). This 

 remarkable Wading-bird is one of half-a-dozen species 

 which are found in the tropics of South America, Africa, 

 India, and Australia. They are Plovers with the aspect of a 

 Rail, and have enormously developed toes, with long sharp 

 spurs on the latter. The South American Jacana is of a 

 bright chestnut colour, with a black head and neck, with 

 red lobes on the forehead, and, above all, with greenish- 



