The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-12-13
FeiO9ei7sg L0nseness.

1t is well know to naturalists, says the Iurf,
Field and Farm, that all birds which build on the
ground feign lameness when they think their
young arein danger. The reason why the ground
builders practice this deception, and the tree
builders do not, is obvious. A correspondent of
the London Field writes:
81 have unusual opportunities of witnessing
the great cunning o: wild ducks in particular,
when their young have been led away from the
water or are placed in circumstances where escape
from imminent danger is impossible. Every
Spring many broods of them are hatched in this
neighborhood, and the parent birds are tempted
to wander often considerable distance with their
young over the lawn, and away from the lake,
in search of grubs and nsects-and the rapidity
with which the ducklings pounce upon the SMALL
est insect is really surprising. In such situations
the old duck is quite aware of the helpless posi-
ton Of her brood, and on your approaching any
where near them she Immediately arises with her
plantive quack Of warning, and away she goes.
But if you still proceed in the direction where her
brood lie in concealment, she returns at once,
and by every dodge attempts to distract your at
tentlon and induce you to pursue an apparently
disabled bird. The difficulty of discovering the
duckings is often so great, though there may be
scarcely tuft of grass to hide them, that one
fears to go near where you know they lie in case
of tramplng on them. j.. "s4said, that as far
as my observation goes, 30 >. ameness is con-
-6aed Esry -H1Heh to bi=S ROB 'c,class, viz ;,
those which build thtir QUAD -
But to be still more expIicl,. /. All U,rds in the
game list do so believe, without an exception.
Pheasants most careless of their young and
easily made to fors Ike their nests during incuba-
ton but still! they ieign lameness to draw you
away from their brood 2. Water fowl are par
ticularly demonsrative in feigning lameness at
least all the duck tribe, including the redhreast-
ed merganser, are SO. With regard to sea tirds,
such as the little aux, razorbill, and guilemot,
l have not had the same opportunities tor observ-
ing them, but they can scarcely be said to build
on the ground, as they inhabit the ledges Of the
highest rocks that impend over the sea. 3 All
waders do 80, including the curew, redsbank,
snipe, ruff, sandpiper, water rail, oster-cacher,
ringed plover, dotterell, coot, and water ben
4. think plover are no exception the goided
plover l am pretty sure ] have seen feigning
ameness. The peewit or lapwing we all know
has way of her own, but still she does her best
to allure you from the abode of her young. 5.
Lastly, we must not omit those smaller birds
which build on or near the ground, though their
young remain in the nest till fedged, such as
yellowhammers, larks, wagtails &C., all of which
class feigu lameness when you disturb them from
their nest But one OF the most extraordinary
cases of this sort that ever occurred to NE hap
pened about two years ago in connection with
singular instance o. audacity from one OF the
most impotent of birds. was training two
young dogs for the l2;h, when felt something
duttering at my feet, and supposed that | unfor
tunately had trampled on young grouse. On
looking down l saw a bird, which turned out to
be nightjar, dashing at my legs, with its feath
ers set on end like a ganecock. How long it
might have continued its assault cannot say,
and so fearless was it that might easily have
caught it but when one of the dogs appeared it
Immediately took alarm, and sidled off in most
cripped-looking fashion till it bad led the dog TO
a sufficient distance from the spot On looking
carefully down | discovered its two young ones
within an inch or two of my feet. Admitting,
then, the fact land don't anticipate coutradic-
ton from any field naturdisi) that all ground
nesting birds do, as a rule ieisn lameness when
their young are approached. iGe point Of interest
for naturaists TO note shoul ;htl clearly be, not
the birds Of this class which do, but those which
do not feign lameness under such circumstances
Erceptio prObat regulam; and the exceptions in
this case, believe, are very few. There is only
one which at present occurs to me-that of guls
in general. The black-headed gull will some
times dash past you within few feet Of your
face when she thinks her young are in danger,
but don't think she feigns lameDess. The larger
gulls, like the two black backs soar aoft, crcling
over their nest, and uttering one monotonous,
melancholy note of distress. There is nothing
more interesting tlo1tN J'Ing their yoTi;s @ ""au
= - - PO5oess oi CIV ''''''" - t;-s
ing OF a,110er and .q.a.--.-
in hiding Immediately when they see the E--~-
signal or hear the note of warning, as the case
may be. have frequently listened with interest
to see if could detect anything different in the
note of warning from the ordinary tone of the
bird. In the case of wild ducks can distinctly
do so. 1t is generally single quack, in more
plaintiye tone, when at once the ducklings are
hushed and disappear like magic, even in the
most exposed situations, defying often the strict
est scrutiny for considerable time though lying
at your feet with no other concealmeut than a
tuft of grass or shelteriHg stone. When in the
water, should hawk skim overhead, the warn
ing quack will sometimes make all the ducklings
dive in a moment"