42 



BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



" My venerable friend, Mr. William Barton, informs me that he saw 

 one of these birds defend her young for a considerable time from the 

 repeated attacks of a ground-squirrel. The scene of action was on 

 the river shore. The parent had thrown herself, with her two young 

 behind her, between them and the land, and at every attempt of the 

 squirrel to seize them by a circuitous sweep, raised both her wings in 

 an almost perpendicular position, assuming the most formidable ap- 

 pearance she was capable of, and rushed forwards on the squirrel, 

 who, intimidated by her boldness and manner, instantly retreated ; 

 but presently returning, was met, as before, in front and on flank by 

 the daring and affectionate bird, who, with her wings and whole plu- 

 mage bristling up, seemed swelled to twice her usual size. The young 

 crowded together behind her, apparently sensible of their perilous 

 situation, moving backwards and forwards as she advanced or re- 

 treated. This interesting scene lasted for at least ten minutes; the 

 strength of the poor parent began evidently to flag, and the attacks 

 of the squirrel became more daring and frequent, when my good 

 friend, like one of those celestial agents who, in Homer's time, so 

 often decided the palm of victory, stepped forward from his retreat, 

 drove the assailant back to his hole, and rescued the innocent from 

 destruction." To escape capture when wounded the Tilt-up will re- 

 sort to many devices. One day when out shooting along Beaver 

 creek, a tributary of the Brandywine, about two miles from West 

 Chester, I crippled one of these birds ; it fell to the ground and ran 

 rapidly to the edge of the stream, which at this point was probably 

 ten feet wide. The water was about a foot deep, perfectly clear, and, 

 except on one side for about eighteen inches, was dammed back and 

 remained quite motionless. I approached the .bird, when, to my great 

 sui prise, it plunged into the water and went down to the sandy 

 bottom like a stone. It ran on the bottom seemingly without any 

 difficulty, and even through the swiftly running water along the edge, 

 came up on the opposite side of the stream and thrust its head into 

 some long grass, but kept its body submerg6d. The bird repeated this 

 performance three times before I secured it. The Tilt- up is not gre- 

 garious. 



FOOD. 



