46*8 Birds, 



yards, only crouch down the closer in its seat ? Why does the water- 

 hen, as you walk along the stream, make for the overhanging bush, often 

 on foot, — if by flight, only by a short one, — and there emerge itself? 

 Why does the partridge, after lifting its head for a moment to survey 

 the approaching intruder, cower close to the ground, if at all rough of 

 surface, or crouchingly run to the nearest available covert of stubble 

 or weed or bush ? Why does the common snipe, as you draw near to 

 its haunt, leave the ground it was feeding on, and hastily run off to 

 the sheltering rushes.* I say, because instinct teaches them to em- 

 ploy those habits which Nature has given them for such purpose in 

 seeking safety by means of concealment, and because, moreover — shall 

 we again say ? — instinct points out to them the way of concealment 

 under the circumstances of place and possible shelter, the most easily 

 attained and likely to be effectual. Alter the circumstances, and you 

 alter too the conduct of all these creatures. The little-disturbed covey 

 of partridges that yesterday hid themselves till you were within 

 twenty or twenty-five yards of them, to day, when snow covers the 

 ground, flies hastily off as soon as you come in sight. The hare 

 leaves the open field and goes to the hedge, and, unless that hedge be 

 very thick, very likely steals away on the other side long before you 

 come abreast of it. The snipe, if not already driven from its haunt of 

 yesterday, rises wild, and betakes itself to some open spring, or else 

 some close concealment. But why? Because their "instinct" 

 teaches them that concealment is, under the circumstances, impossi- 

 ble : nor do I think the increasing wildness of the game birds as the 

 season advances weakens the argument. It does not take long to 

 teach birds, the dwellers in islands hitherto untrodden by man, to 

 avoid their first human visitor as an enemy and destroyer; and 

 depend upon it, the sound of the gun is soon recognised and under- 

 stood by the grouse and the partridge ; and besides, the birds that 

 have tried their powers of flight once and again when alarmed or dis- 

 turbed soon learn to place confidence in that resource. 



No doubt some creatures resort to concealment much more than 

 others. The water rail and land rail both must be surprised to be made 



* All these facts I have verified by personal observation within a few weeks past. 

 Twenty times have I seen, since the snow first set in, the waterhen retreating to con- 

 cealment as I approached, or the tracks of its having- done so within a few minutes 

 past. Twice I have observed the snipe acting as mentioned in the text ; while, with 

 respect to the partridge and hare, every person the least conversant with their habits 

 will at once recognise the truthfulness of the reference I have made to a part of those 

 habits. 



