136 



The Naturalist. 



she chases the intruder ; her mate, too, on hearing her cries, appears 

 upon the scene, and aids in repelling the would-be robber. The mag- 

 pie, crestfallen enough at the failure of his designs, is glad to beat a 

 hasty retreat, and is no doubt thankful if he escapes with only the 

 loss of a few feathers. The ring-ousel employs the same power for 

 the protection of its nest, eggs, or young, and will even dash fear- 

 lessly into the face of a human intruder, uttering cries of mingled 

 rage, defiance, anxiety, and alarm, should he approach her treasured 

 nest and its priceless contents. Birds of prey also come under this 

 division, and will even attack man himself when their nests are 

 approached. Instances are on record where the human aggressor 

 came off second best in these encounters. The raven, and others of 

 the crow family, find safety under this peculiar instinct, and woe 

 betide the predaceous animal that is caught lurking in the neigh- 

 bourhood of their abode. The titmice are also included, and will, by 

 hissing, biting, and other pugnacious actions, endeavour to repel the 

 intruder from their eggs or young. 



Deceptive motions. — The last division on which my remarks will 

 bear, is of frequent occurrence amongst the feathered tribes. Promi- 

 nent amongst its followers is the lark. Note how deceptively she 

 repairs to her nest, by darting suddenly downwards into the herbage 

 at some distance from it, proceeding the remainder of the way by 

 running, thus baffling the searcher in discovering her abode. What 

 a roundabout way the whinchat repairs to her nest, occasionally 

 darting downwards into the thick grass. Surely that is the situation 

 of the nest. But no ! up flies the little bird, and, perched on some 

 tall stem of herbage, looks warily around, and again silently alights 

 in the friendly cover. " Found at last," is our exclamation, and we 

 rush hastily to the spot, but are somewhat crestfallen to find no nest, 

 and even no bird. How is this ? Her protective instinct has been 

 at work. Influenced by its unerring power, she has used these 

 deceptive motions in regaining her nest, which is doubtless many 

 yards away from the place of her final descent into the friendly cover. 

 Then again, the rails manifest various deceptive motions in retiring 

 from and regaining their nests. Who, also, has not observed won- 

 derful instances of this protective power in the manner the starling 

 approaches her abode ? In places where these birds are left unmo- 

 lested no such power appears, but when the birds are far from the 

 busy hum of cities, how warily they approach, and will not betray 

 their nesting-hole even if thereby prevented from visiting their nest. 

 Our eyes are often diverted from the bird for a few moments, and the 



