00 INSTINCT AT FAULT. 



puzzled by the strange movement, and inclined to 

 investigate the cause of alarm. He repeated the slap, 

 and again female curiosity got the better of discretion, 

 and once more she advanced, still intently eyeing him. 

 In this manner, he drew her on, step by step, repeating 

 the slap again and again, until the animal was fairly 

 within shot. Then, quietly glancing down the barrel 

 which lay on the heather before him, he fired, and as 

 the hind, at length, when it was too late, discovering 

 the nature of the intruder, sprang round to make her 

 escape, his ball entered her neck and she instantly fell 

 dead. She was (of course !) one of the largest beasts 

 he had ever killed. 



It is not often that instinct is thus outwitted ; but I 

 have lately heard of another incident of a similar kind. 

 Some midshipmen belonging to one of her Majesty's 

 ships, while on a cruise off the coast of Africa, landed 

 on one of the Cape de Verde Islands for a day's 

 shooting. They spent the whole morning in vain 

 attempts to get within shot of some of the flocks of 

 flamingoes, which are found there in great numbers. 

 At length, giving it up in despair, they threw themselves 

 on the ground to discuss the provisions, which they 

 had brought with them for luncheon. They had not 

 lain long, when a whole flock of flamingoes, not recog- 

 nising in those prostrate objects kicking their heels in 

 the air, the same enemies whom when on foot they 

 had so carefully shunned, drew near, led on by a dan- 

 gerous curiosity, and ventured to approach within so 

 short a distance, that the sportsmen springing to 

 their feet, and snatching up their guns, secured each 

 his bird, before their mistake could be rectified by a 

 timely retreat. 



