KEASON. 
127 
that they are old birds, and are doubtless despatched on 
that service on account of their greater experience and 
cleverness, though the younger ones may have already 
arrived at maturity. The inexperienced are instructed 
by the gray-beards of their species, and are thus made 
thoroughly acquainted with every possible danger, and 
indeed they are, as we will state farther on, compelled by 
force to take flight at the proper moment. 
Many birds show their intelligence by the manner in 
which they take wing, as well as during flight. Wood¬ 
peckers, on the approach of an enemy, immediately retire 
to the opposite side of the tree; and thus, screening them¬ 
selves from view, climb to the topmost branch ere they 
take flight. Marsh and water-birds show the greatest 
acuteness in selecting an opportune moment for flight. 
When swimming on a pond or tank, and the sports¬ 
man shows himself from behind the dam, retiring 
again, so as to obtain a more favourable shot, they always 
avail themselves of the moment he disappears from their 
sight to fly the danger. One would imagine that the 
object of alarm once out of view they would remain quiet 
and unconcerned. Not so; they reckon, and with justice, 
upon a reappearance of the enemy, and thus seek to make 
the best use of the intervening moments. 
Small birds thoroughly understand how to make use of 
every advantage available when chased by birds of prey. 
We were once enabled to observe how a Redstart managed 
to escape from the claws of a Sparrow-hawk. The little 
bird had the good fortune to be in the neighbourhood of 
a thick elder-bush, but was so hard pressed by the Hawk 
that it had not time to take refuge in the bush itself, and 
so kept circling round between the extreme ends of the 
branches, which its persecutor could not do; it thus won 
