GAY PLUMES AND DULL 



her nest in a dry, grassy field many yards from a 

 swamp in the woods, which was her natural habitat. 

 The instinct of the bird seemed to tell her that she 

 would be less exposed to her prowling enemies in 

 the dry, open field than in the thick, swampy woods, 

 and her instinct was, no doubt, a safe guide. Her 

 imitative color would avail her but little in either 

 place. The same may be said of the quail and of 

 the grouse. Their neutral tints may protect them 

 from the human eye, but not from their natural 

 enemies. Could the coon, or the mink, or the fox, 

 or the skunk be baffled by them ? Is the setter or 

 pointer baffled ? Both the quail and the partridge, 

 in settled countries, are very likely to nest along 

 roads and paths, away from thick jungles and 

 tangles that would afford cover to their enemies. It 

 is their eggs and their newly hatched young that 

 they are solicitous about. Their wings afford se- 

 curity to themselves. True, the sitting bird usually 

 allows the passer-by to approach her very closely, 

 but I have reason to believe that she is much sooner 

 alarmed by an animal that approaches stealthily, 

 nosing about, making very little noise, than by the 

 passing of a person or of the large grazing animals. 

 Her old traditional enemies are stealthy and subtle, 

 and her instinct keeps her on her guard against 

 them. A person walking boldly along, occupied 

 about his own business, can pass within a few feet of 

 a partridge on his drumming log. But let a man try 

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