Certain Phases of Bird-Life. 
367 
1876.] 
approach of the spaniel, it ceased doubling, but, running in 
a straight line some distance, it allowed the dog to get 
within a foot or more, when it jumped, with a single flap of 
its wings, a foot or more from the ground ; then dropping 
down quickly behind the dog, it turned and ran in the oppo- 
site direction, gaining considerable ground before the im- 
petuous spaniel could check its speed, turn about, and 
follow. Here, again, as we would express it in describing 
any human experience, “ the circumstances of the case were 
taken into consideration ” by the pursued bird, and, without 
taking to flight, as would seem the more natural adt, it 
surmounted the difficulties and effected its escape. I can 
conceive of no other way of explaining this adtion of the 
rail-bird than by admitting that a train of thought passed 
through the brain of the bird — that it thought, “ If I gain 
time, I am safe,” just as any pursued person would think 
that, if he could reach some spot, be heard, &c., he would 
be safe. And, while yet running at great speed, the bird 
thought of an ingenious plan by which it did gain time and 
reached the reedy creek-bank in safety. 
It might be argued that a single ad; of a bird at some one 
time and under peculiar circumstances does not constitute 
a habit — that it simply chanced to do so and so ; but a 
second occurrence of the kind would result differently. It 
must be remembered, however, that where a bird is noticed 
in its natural haunts once, even if for more than an hour — - 
which is an unusually long observation — there are weeks 
when this same bird is unseen, and therefore what its ads 
may be are absolutely unknown. For this reason, an in* 
genious ad of a bird may be frequently repeated, and almost 
certainly is. Indeed, our ignorance of bird-life is so great, 
that what seem to us “ curious instances,” because but 
seldom witnessed, are frequently daily occurrences and ordi- 
nary features of the bird’s life. It can scarcely have escaped 
the notice of close observers of our winter birds that their 
comparative abundance is only during clear, pleasant wea- 
ther, when they will be as lively and restless as spring birds 
in early summer, and that during the winter certain localities, 
as the southern outlooks of wooded hillsides and such shel- 
tered spots, are those where these hardy species “ most do 
congregate.” During a mild day at some such spot we can 
almost delude ourselves into thinking that spring is coming; 
but on the morrow a fierce wind rattles the bare branches above 
you, clouds of stinging dust or driving snow fill the chilled 
air, and not a bird is to be seen or heard, the cheery sights 
and sounds of yesterday having given place to a dreariness 
