130 
BIRD-LIFE. 
and retired from the scene. No sooner had he vanished 
from sight than the Ducks returned to the water, swam 
about, and sought their food as before. Soon after, a 
Peregrine Falcon made its appearance, a dangerous and 
active bird, which rarely strikes its quarry sitting, but can 
easily do so when on the wing. The Ducks were evidently 
well aware of this, and, instead of rising from the water, 
kept continually diving, so as to escape the talons of the 
enemy, and in this they were thoroughly successful. The 
Falcon flew close over them without attempting to strike, 
for its object was simply to force them to take wing: 
in this it was unsuccessful, and it also was obliged to 
abandon the field discomfited. On the same day, however, 
a Goshawk (Astur palumbarius ) came to the marsh : this 
bird being able to strike a bird whether sitting or on the 
wing with equal facility, is the most dangerous enemy 
Ducks have. Now there was evidently nothing more 
to be done : Seyffertitz knew of no means of escape, and 
sat anxiously watching the result. The fate of one of the 
Ducks appeared sealed. But even under these circum¬ 
stances the birds knew how to help themselves. As soon 
as they saw the Hawk they all got close together, and 
flapping with their wings produced such a shower of 
spray as to raise an opaque cloud between them and 
their pursuer. The Hawk, however, was not so easily to be 
baffled, and dashing along close over the water passed 
through the sheet of spray more than once, but not being 
able to see a bird it could not strike. As soon as the 
Ducks were convinced that the Goshawk had taken 
its departure they desisted from their manoeuvres and 
returned quietly to their usual occupations. 
Not a few birds manage to shield their young from 
danger by hiding them from view. All those species 
