88 The Natm'alist in La Plata, 
interesting point will probably never be determined, 
as, most unhappily, the Australians are just now 
zealously engaged in exterminating their most 
wonderful bird for the sake of its miserable flesh ; 
and with less excuse than the Maories could plead 
with regard to the moa, since they cannot deny 
that they have mutton and rabbit enough to satisfy 
hunger. 
Whether birds fear or have instinctive knowledge 
of any of their enemies is a much larger question. 
Species that run freely on the ground from the time 
of quitting the shell know their proper food, and 
avoid whatever is injurious. Have all young birds 
a similarly discriminating instinct with regard to 
their enemies ? Darwin says, ‘‘Fear of any. particular 
enemy is certainly an instinctive quality, as may be 
seen in nestling birds.’’ Here, even man seems to 
be included among the enemies feared instinctively ; 
and in another passage he says, “ Young chickens 
have lost, wholly from habit, that fear of the dog 
and cat which, no doubt, was originally instinctive 
in them.” My own observations point to a con- 
trary conclusion ; and I may say that I have had 
unrivalled opportunities for studying the habits of 
young birds. 
Animals of all classes, old and young, shrink with 
instinctive fear from any strange object approaching 
them. A piece of newspaper carried accidentally 
by the wind is as great an object of terror to an 
inexperienced young bird as a buzzard sweeping 
down with death in its talons. Among birds not 
yet able to fly there are, however, some curious 
exceptions; thus the young of most owls and 
