98 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



that the rascal yelled and, turning, fled back to the 

 village. Hot and panting from my exertions I stood 

 still, but sooner still the pheasant had pulled herself 

 up and stood there, about three yards from my feet, 

 as if nothing had happened — as if not a ripple had 

 troubled the quiet surface of her life ! The serenity 

 of the bird, just out of that storm of violence and 

 danger, and her perfect indifference to my presence, 

 was astonishing to me. For a minute or two I stood 

 still watching her, then turned to walk back to the 

 cottage, and no sooner did I start than after me she 

 came at a gentle trot, following me like a dog. On 

 my way back I came to the very spot where the fox 

 terrier had found and attacked the bird, and at once 

 on reaching it she came to a stop and uttered a call, 

 and instantly from eight different places among the 

 tall grasses the eight fluffy little chicks popped up 

 and started running to her. And there she stood 

 gathering them about her with gentle chucklings, 

 taking no notice of me, though I was standing 

 still within two yards of her ! 



Up to the moment when the dog got his smart 

 blow and fled from her she had been under the 

 domination of a powerful instinct and could have 

 acted in no other way; but what guided her so 

 infallibly in her subsequent actions S* Certainly not 

 instinct, and not reason which hesitates between 

 different courses and is slow to arrive at a decision. 



