238 BOMBAY DUCKS 
of fiery red. The most conspicuous feature of the 
moving thing seems, as it were, to obliterate, to render 
invisible, all others. 
Thus, when horses are racing, the attitude which is 
so striking as to swallow up all others is that of the 
straining animals with extended legs. As a matter of 
actual fact, the horses’ legs are doubled up under the 
body just as frequently as they are stretched out. The 
doubled-up horse is, however, not a striking object, so 
the eye fails to retain it, and notices only the pant- 
ing steeds with outstretched legs. This phenomenon 
accounts for the fact that photographs of racing horses 
are almost always disappointing ; they appear unnatural 
and seem to exhibit the animals in all manner of im- 
possible and awkward attitudes. 
During flight the paddy-bird emits at intervals a 
guttural croak—not a cheerful sound, but one in keep- 
ing with the character of the bird. When at rest his 
appearance is not prepossessing. His attitude is mis- 
anthropic. He looks as though he shunned the com- 
pany of other birds, and desired above all to be allowed 
to remain in peace. Yet the paddy-bird is not a 
quarrelsome creature. Dozens will sit in a row along 
the margin of a lake, separated by short intervals, and 
not one will take the least notice of any of the others. 
I have never seen two paddy-birds fighting. I have, 
indeed, seen one fly up to where another was standing, 
but the latter promptly flew away, without even casting 
a backward glance at the intruder. The truth is that 
it requires two energetic persons to organize a fight, and 
where are these to be found in paddy-bird society? 
