72 IN THE DAYS OF AUDUBON 



the feet of the intruder in a circle so as to draw and hold 

 his eye, her form quivering. While she is executing these 

 confusing movements, her brood will disappear, and then 

 she will whir away. 



One day a partridge seemed to fall dead before them 

 and then to whirl like a dervish. 



" The effect of the defensive movements of the par- 

 tridge's wings, when her young are hiding, is a mother's 

 instinct that is a wonder," said Victor. " See her wings 

 quiver as if wounded." 



In a moment she rose, and was gone. 



They searched to find one of her brood, but the cunning 

 little partridges seemed to have turned into dead grasses 

 and leaves. 



" The instinct that leads the little partridge to render 

 itself invisible is as wonderful as that of the magnetic en- 

 chantment of the mother's wing," said Victor. " I will 

 take a day before the coming of rain, when the quails say 

 ' More wet,' and I will hide in some field of short bushes 

 where there are stumps and will see a partridge drum." 



" She carries her drum with her," said Audubon. 



They heard the partridge drumming at a little distance 

 wherever they went. Victor sought to see how it was done 

 with still feet, but the bird's ears were as quick as his feet 

 were still. He would always tread upon some dead stick 

 which would break and give warning. Still, he was resolved 

 to see the wonder of the forests. In this way the father 



