SE L F-C ONF IDE N C E 207series of sounds similar to those of a hen when she has found some
morsel of food and wishes to call her brood to partake of it.
She gathered the little birds around and continued to quiver in a
highly excited manner, shaking her wings and ruffling her feathers. One
could almost hear her words as she gave the little birds their first lesson
in self-defense, through the law of social heredity.
"You silly little creatures! Do you not know that humans are your
enemies? Shame on you for allowing that man to pick you up in his
hands. It's a wonder he didn't carry you off and eat you alive! The next
time you see a man approaching, make yourselves scarce. Lie down on
the ground, run under leaves, go anywhere to get out of sight, and
remain out of sight until the enemy is well on his way."
The little birds stood around and listened to the lecture with intense
interest. After the mother bird had quieted down, I again started to
approach the nest. When within twenty feet or so of the guarded house-
hold, the mother bird again started to lead me in the other direction
by crumpling up her wing and hobbling along as if she were crippled.
I looked at the nest but the glance was in vain. The little birds were
nowhere to be found! They had learned rapidly to avoid their natural
enemy, thanks to their natural instinct.
Again I retreated, waited until the mother bird had reassembled her
household, then came out to visit them, but with similar results. When
I approached the spot where I last saw the mother bird, not the slightest
signs of the little fellows were to be found.
When I was a small boy I captured a young crow and made a pet of
it. The bird became quite satisfied with its domestic surroundings and
learned to perform many tricks requiring considerable intelligence.
After the bird was big enough to fly, it was permitted to go wherever
it pleased. Sometimes it would be gone for many hours, but it always
returned home before dark.