BRITISH BIRDS. 283 



seen aftenvards out of tide-mark until they are well 

 able to fly : lulled by the roarings of the flood, 

 they flnd themselves at home amidst an ample 

 store of their natural food, which consists of sand- 

 hoppers, sea-worms, cc., or small shell-fish, and 

 the innumerable shoals of the little fry which have 

 not yet ventured out into the great deep, but are 

 left on the beach, or tossed to the surface of the 

 water by the restless surge. 



If this family, in their progress from the nest to 

 the sea, happen to be interrupted by any person, 

 the young ones, it is said, seek the first shelter, 

 and squat close down, and the parent birds fly 

 off: then commences that truly curious scene, dic- 

 tated by an instinct analogous to reason, the same 

 as in the Wild Duck and the Partridge ; the ten- 

 der mother drops, at no great distance from her 

 helpless brood, trails herself along the ground, 

 flaps it with her wings, and appears to struggle 

 as if she were wounded, in order to attract atten- 

 tion, and tempt a pursuit after her. Should these 

 wily schemes, in which she is also aided by her 

 mate, succeed, they both return when the danger 

 is over, to their terrified, motionless little offspring, 

 to renew the tender offices of cherishing and pro- 

 tecting them. 



These birds are sometimes watched to their holes, 

 which are dug up to the nest, whence the eggs are 

 taken, and hatched, and the young reared by a 

 Tame Duck. In this way, many gentlemen, tempt- 

 ed by the richness of their garb, have their ponds 

 stocked with these beautiful birds; but as they are 

 of a roving disposition, and are apt to stray, or to 

 quit altogether such limited spots, it is generally 



