171 NATURAL HISTORY 



the hand that feeds it, and is touched with the feelings of 

 gratitude ! 



P.S. In about three days after I left Sussex the tortoise 

 retired into the ground under the hepaticas. 



LETTER XIV. 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. 



SELBORNE, March 26, 1773. 



HE more I reflect on the a-ropy* of animals, 

 the more I am astonished at its effects. Nor 

 is the violence of this affection more wonder- 

 ful 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 inven- 

 tion^ and sharpens the sagacity of the brute creation. Thus 

 a hen, just become a mother, is no longer that placid bird 

 she used to be, but with feathers standing on end, wings 

 hovering, and clucking 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 helpless 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 a hawk, whom they will persecute 

 till he leaves that district. A very exact observer 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 



