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 sympathising 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 water, 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* 
