The Killdeer 



Taken in Merced County 



Photo by the Author 



ENTANGLEMENTS 

 A JUVENAL KILLDEER HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE SCUM 



ture she was off instantly and began decoying at 30 to 40 feet. Again I 

 tried "sleeping," and again she returned. But as long as I remained seated 

 or rose to my knees she played off from 60 to 80 feet. Here then was the 

 key to this bird's psychology. Her distance increased in direct proportion 

 to my elevation from the ground. If I assumed a supine position, partially 

 buried in the grass, she almost entirely disregarded me. As I rose she 

 pattered away, and if I stood she flew 150 feet. With this knowledge 

 gained, I let my camera, the Graflex, sit upon the ground some 16 feet 

 from the nest, dug a tunnel through the light grasses, then lay down beside 

 the camera with a finger on the trigger. In this way I got three quite 

 creditable snaps at the bird standing over or crouching upon her eggs. 

 Here, too, it is worthy of remark that I had to lay my head flat on its side 

 to completely lull the bird's suspicions; for as often as I reared it a little, 

 she bridled also, or scampered off. It was an absurd and pathetic illus- 

 tration of the old adage, Out of sight out of mind. 



But if Killdeers are anxious regarding the safety of their eggs, this 

 anxiety is raised to the nth power when their young are to be considered. 

 The din attendant upon the defense of those infant prodigies is quite inde- 

 scribable. And the behavior of the parents on such occasions is worthy of 

 a separate treatise. Mr. Raymond Driver tells me of one reaction which 



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