98 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



that the rascal yelled and, turning, fled back to the 

 village * Hot and panting from my exertions I stood 

 still, but sooner still the pheasant had pulled herself 

 up and stood there, about three yards from my feet, 

 as if nothing had happened as if not a ripple had 

 troubled the quiet surface of her life ! The serenity 

 of the bird, just out of that storm of violence and 

 danger, and her perfect indifference to my presence, 

 was astonishing to me. For a minute or two I stood 

 still watching her, then turned to walk back to the 

 cottage, and no sooner did I start than after me she 

 came at a gentle trot, following me like a dog. On 

 my way back I came to the very spot where the fox 

 terrier had found and attacked the bird, and at once 

 on reaching it she came to a stop and uttered a call, 

 and instantly from eight different places among the 

 tall grasses the eight fluffy little chicks popped up 

 and started running to her* And there she stood 

 gathering them about her with gentle chucklings, 

 taking no notice of me, though I was standing 

 still within two yards of her ! 



Up to the moment when the dog got his smart 

 blow and fled from her she had been under the 

 domination of a powerful instinct and could have 

 acted in no other way; but what guided her so 

 infallibly in her subsequent actions i Certainly not 

 instinct, and not reason which hesitates between 

 different courses and is slow to arrive at a decision. 



