26 AMERICAN AVOSET. 



I was now desirous of seeing one of the sitting birds on its nest, and 

 leaving my hiding place, slowly, and as silently as possible, proceeded 

 toward the nearest islet on which I knew a nest to be, having the evening 

 before, to mark the precise spot, broken some of the weeds, which were now 

 withered by the heat of the sun. You, good reader, will not, I am sure, 

 think me prolix; but as some less considerate persons may allege that I am 

 tediously so, I must tell them here that no student of Nature ever was, or 

 ever can be, too particular while thus marking the precise situation of a 

 bird's nest. Indeed, I myself have lost many nests by being less attentive. 

 After this short but valuable lecture, you and I will do our best to approach 

 the sitting bird unseen by it. Although a person can advance but slowly 

 when wading through mud and water knee-deep, it does not take much time 

 to get over forty or fifty yards, and thus I was soon on the small island 

 where the Avoset was comfortably seated on her nest. Softly and on all 

 four I crawled toward the spot, panting with heat and anxiety. Now, reader, 

 I am actually within three feet of the unheeding creature, peeping at her 

 through the tall grasses. Lovely bird! how innocent, how unsuspecting, 

 and yet how near to thine enemy, albeit he be an admirer of thy race! 

 There she sits on her eggs, her head almost mournfully sunk among the 

 plumage, and her eyes, unanimated by the sight of her mate, half closed, as 

 if she dreamed of future scenes. Her legs are bent beneath her in the usual 

 manner. I have seen this, and I am content. Now she observes me, poor 

 thing, and off she scrambles, — running, tumbling, and at last rising on wing, 

 emitting her clicking notes of grief and anxiety, which none but an incon- 

 siderate or callous-hearted person could hear without sympathizing with her. 



The alarm is sounded, the disturbed bird is floundering hither and thither 

 over the pool, now lying on the surface as if ready to die, now limping to 

 induce me to pursue her and abandon her eggs. Alas, poor bird! Until 

 that day I was not aware that gregarious birds, on emitting cries of alarm, 

 after having been scared from their nest, could induce other incubating indi- 

 viduals to leave their eggs also, and join in attempting to save the colony. 

 But so it was with the Avosets, and the other two sitters immediately rose 

 on wing and flew directly at me, while the one with the four younglings 

 betook herself to the w r ater, and waded quickly off, followed by her brood, 

 which paddled along swimming, to my astonishment, as well as ducklings of 

 the same size. 



How far such cries as those of the Avoset may be heard by birds of the 

 same species I cannot tell; but this I know, that the individuals which had 

 gone toward the Wabash reappeared in a few minutes after I had disturbed 

 the first bird, and hovered over me. But now, having, as I thought, obtain- 



