one rubs his eves to make sure that the birds 

 go ■' , , 



are really gone. If he is near enough, he 



J^TlfildDuck has heard a low cluck from the old bird, 

 ,\J^' // which now sits with neck standing straight 

 jjm^-^A up out of the water, so still as to be easily 

 ""P I mistaken for one of the old stumps or bogs 

 among which they are feeding. She is look- 

 ing about to see if the ducklings are all well 

 hidden. After a moment there is another 

 cluck, very much like the first, and downy 

 little fellows come bobbing out of the grass, 

 or from close beside the stumps where you 

 looked a moment before and saw nothing. 

 This is repeated at frequent intervals, the 

 object being to accustom the young birds to 

 hide instantly when danger approaches. 



So watchful is the old bird, however, that 

 trouble rarely threatens without her knowl- 

 edge. When the young are well hidden, at 

 the first sign of the enemy, she takes wing 

 and leaves them, returning when danger is 

 over, to find them still crouching motionless 

 in their hiding places. When surprised she 

 acts like other game birds, — flutters along 

 with a great splashing, trailing one wing as 



