230 BOMBAY DUCKS 
brotherhood immediately fly off. The rest remain 
eyeing you suspiciously, and wondering what they 
shall do. Presently the fright of those which have 
already betaken themselves to cover communicates 
itself to some of the birds which have maintained their 
ground, Such fly to shelter. You approach nearer. 
This is the signal for others to take to their wings, and 
perhaps all have left, except one sturdy fellow, who 
looks at you in such a way that he seems to say: “I'll 
be blowed if I move until I am obliged to.” 
Here, then, we have in this little company of six or 
seven a number of types of character, ranging from 
excessive timidity to great temerity. The “seven sisters” 
do not form an isolated case. Almost every company 
of birds exhibits a similar phenomenon. We know so 
little of Nature’s wild creatures that our books con- 
tain no accounts of these distinctions in character. 
Naturalists are content to describe the typical member 
of each species; they omit to mention the thousand 
and one variations from it. 
This, doubtless, accounts for the origin of the idea 
that all animals of a species are cast in the same mould. 
To take an example, the Indian crow is described as 
a bold, bad bird, which leads a depraved life of aimless 
vagabondage. This is doubtless a true description of 
the typical crow. But there are degrees of wickedness, 
even among crows. It is possible that some of the 
corvt lead useful and admirable lives. For aught I 
know, there may be crow philanthropists, crows which 
spend their life slumming, holding tea-parties, delivering 
lectures, and doing other good works. 
