eday,itranupmyclothes,andalongmysleeve,androundandroundthepaperwhichheldmydinner,whileIkeptthelatterclose,anddodgedandplayedatbopeepwithitandwhenatlastIheldstillapieceofcheesebetweenmythumbandfinger,itcameandnibbledit,sittinginmyhand,andafterwardcleaneditsfaceandpaws,likeafly,andwalkedaway.
Aph?besoonbuiltinmyshed,andarobinforprotectioninapinewhichgrewagainstthehouse.InJunethepartridge(Tetraoumbellus,)whichissoshyabird,ledherbroodpastmywindows,fromthewoodsinthereartothefrontofmyhouse,cluckingandcallingtothemlikeahen,andinallherbehaviorprovingherselfthehenofthewoods.Theyoungsuddenlydisperseonyourapproach,atasignalfromthemother,asifawhirlwindhadsweptthemaway,andtheysoexactlyresemblethedriedleavesandtwigsthatmanyatravelerhasplacedhisfootinthemidstofabrood,andheardthewhiroftheoldbirdassheflewoff,andheranxiouscallsandmewing,orseenhertrailherwingstoattracthisattention,withoutsuspectingtheirneighborhood.Theparentwillsometimesrollandspinroundbeforeyouinsuchadishabille,thatyoucannot,forafewmoments,detectwhatkindofcreatureitis.Theyoungsquatstillandflat,oftenrunningtheirheadsunderaleaf,andmindonlytheirmother’sdirectionsgivenfromadistance,norwillyourapproachmakethemrunagainandbetraythemselves.Youmayeventreadonthem,orhaveyoureyesonthemforaminute,withoutdiscoveringthem.Ihaveheldtheminmyopenhandatsuchatime,andstilltheironlycare,obedienttotheirmotherandtheirinstinct,wastosquattherewithoutfearortrembling.Soperfectisthisinstinct,thatonce,whenIhadlaidthemontheleavesagain,andoneaccidentallyfellonitsside,itwasfoundwiththerestinexactlythesamepositiontenminutesafterward.Theyarenotcallowliketheyoungofmostbirds,butmoreperfectlydevelopedandprecociouseventhanchickens.Theremarkablyadultyetinnocentexpressionoftheiropenandsereneeyesisverymemorable.Allintelligenceseemsreflectedinthem.Theysuggestnotmerelythepurityofinfancy,butawisdomclarifiedbyexperience.Suchaneyewasnotbornwhenthebirdwas,butiscoevalwiththeskyitreflects.Thewoodsdonotyieldanothersuchagem.Thetravellerdoesnotoftenlookintosuchalimpidwell.Theignorantorrecklesssportsmanoftenshootstheparentatsuchatime,andleavestheseinnocents