LETTER XIV 



TO THE SAME 



SELBORNE, March 26tti, 1773. 



DEAR SIR, The more I reflect on the aropyrj of animals, 

 the more I am astonished at its effects. Nor is the violence 

 of this affection more wonderful than the shortness of its 

 duration. Thus every hen is in her turn the virago of the 

 yard, in proportion to the helplessness of her brood ; and 

 will fly in the face of a dog or a sow in defence of those 

 chickens, which in a few weeks she will drive before her 

 with relentless cruelty. 



This affection sublimes the passions, quickens the in- 

 vention, and sharpens the sagacity of the brute creation. 

 Thus an hen, just become a mother, is no longer that 

 placid bird she used to be, but with feathers standing on 

 end, wings hovering, and clocking note, she runs about 

 like one possessed. Dams will throw themselves in the 

 way of the greatest danger in order to avert it from their 

 progeny. Thus a partridge will tumble along before a 

 sportsman in order to draw away the dogs from her help- 

 less covey. In the time of nidification the most feeble birds 

 will assault the most rapacious. All the hirundines of a 

 village are up in arms at the sight of an hawk, whom they 

 will persecute till he leaves that district. A very exact 

 observer l has often remarked that a pair of ravens nesting 

 in the rock of Gibraltar would suffer no vulture or eagle 

 to rest near their station, but would drive them from the 

 hill with an amazing fury ; even the blue thrush 2 at the 



1 His brother John. See vol. i. pp. 119-165. [R. B. S.] 



2 Monticola cyanea. [R. B. S.] 



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