AS CONCERNING PARTRIDGE-NESTS 43 
as she flutters in the dust at his feet, is very delight- 
‘ful to observe. Equally touching is the devotion 
which induces a female shoveller to dash around the 
enemy, whose presence in the reed thicket in which 
her newly-hatched ducklings are skulking has dis- 
turbed her peace of mind. Gallantly does she risk 
her own safety for her brood, when her first attempt 
to wheedle you into the belief that her young are 
somewhere else has failed to obtain credit. Similarly, 
if we startle a pair of partridges while engaged in 
protecting their chicks, we are pretty certain to be 
entertained with some charming attempt on their 
part of perpetrating deception upon us. Rising from 
the tall grass at our approach with startled cry, away 
they scurry, as if in hot haste. But they do not fly 
far ; no sooner have they traversed a safe distance 
from their young than they check their course. 
Alighting in the open field within full view of us, 
they endeavour to persuade us that they are des- 
perately wounded, and might be captured with a 
little trouble. Male and female alike trail their 
plumage through the dusty soil, in their resolution to 
beguile us with their ingenious devices. Their distress 
becomes intense if we capture and withhold their 
youngsters, 
But they have more dangerous enemies than man 
