250 Habit and Instinct. 



beautiful instance of maternal affection, we hurried back 

 to the little marsh -where the ducklings were probably 

 hidden, and, sheltered under a rhododendron bush, awaited 

 the return of the wild duck to her brood. In a few minutes 

 she reappeared, flying swiftly in circles among the trees, 

 and, after satisfying herself that the danger was past, she 

 alighted among some wild currant bushes about thirty 

 yards from the marsh. There she stood for a moment, 

 still and listening, with head erect, and, seeing nothing to 

 alarm her, ran bustling down to the drain. After realizing 

 that no harm had overtaken her brood on the spot where 

 they had been surprised, she climbed the bank and tripped 

 lightly into the marsh, when, in answer to her low quack, 

 we soon heard the piping voices of the ducklings, which 

 till then had remained motionless and invisible in the few 

 yards of grass and rushes near. In a few seconds the 

 whole family were united, and we had the pleasure of 

 seeing the old bird swim past at the head of an active fleet 

 of eleven black and yellow ducklings, making for the centre 

 of the marsh." 



Such tactics, be it noted, are not restricted to one or 

 two species. They are common, no doubt with diversities 

 of detail, to such different birds as grouse, pigeons, lap- 

 wings, rails, avocets, pipits, ducks, buntings, and warblers. 

 How are we to account for them ? 



The first question to ask is, whether the habit is truly 

 congenital and instinctive. We may readily admit that 

 the probabilities are decidedly in favour of its instinctive 

 nature ; but of this there is, so far as I am aware, no 

 definite and conclusive proof. And it is particularly un- 

 fortunate that we are here left at the mercy of probability. 

 For if the habit be truly congenital and instinctive, it forms 

 a very pretty subject for transmissionists and natural 

 selectionists to quarrel over. If ever there was a habit, 



