134 



The Naturalist. 



Silence, — Perhaps many persons will scarcely compreiienc! this 

 peculiar form of instinct, yet such a form does undoubtedly exist, and 

 that too in many of our commonest birds. Take, for instance, the 

 little willow warbler, and note carefully how she leaves her temporary 

 home. Her nest being often ill-concealed, silence is her forte, and 

 well does she practise it. Observe the garrulous little whitethroat 

 leave her nest, so silently threading her way from her treasure — so 

 silently as to be seldom heard ; and then, ^hen at a safe distance 

 from the neighbourhood of her abode, how joyously she gives forth 

 notes of seeming defiance and alarm. How often does the silent 

 protective instinct of the Dartford warbler manifest itself, the bird, 

 when scared from its nest, leaving it silently, and going for a con- 

 siderable distance under the surrounding vegetation ere it appears, by 

 its silent motions thus leading an inexperienced intruder far away 

 from her treasured home. Again, how silently the bunting leaves 

 her charge, and what a deceptive little creature is the grasshopper 

 warbler. I have often been deceived by their silent motions when in 

 the neighbourhood of their nest. Silence, again, is the protective 

 instinct of many of the thrushes, many of them remaining faithful to 

 their charge until compelled to leave it, and then as silently as possible. 

 But should the bird find her nest discovered quite accidentally, as 

 many are, her instinct is not put in force, and the faithful parent files 

 quickly off and anxiously watches the movements of the aggressor 

 from her perching-place near at hand. I have known many of these 

 birds allow themselves to be touched by the hand, and remain silent, 

 trying to the utmost their peculiar protective instinct for the welfare 

 of their treasured eggs or young. The pipits, again, employ silence 

 for the safety of their nests, the nest being almost buried in the 

 herbage around, and the watchful bird remaining silently upon her 

 charge, observing with anxious eye the motions of the intruder till he 

 retreats from her " castle," or perhaps almost treads upon the devoted 

 parent and her house ; when forced reluctantly to leave it, she does so 

 as quietly as possible, and in most if not all cases this silent 

 protective instinct is crowned with success and safety. If these 

 birds were not gifted with this peculiar instinct, and left their 

 nests in a precipitate manner, numbers of their eggs or young 

 would be destroyed, which, however, through its agency, are brought 

 up to maturity under its protective influences. 



Alluring motions. — I consider this peculiar form of protective 

 instinct one of the most beautiful evidences of an All-wise Provi- 

 dence. Where is the naturalist who, when he sees a bird 



