Brute Neighbors

neday,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,andleavestheseinnocentstofallapreytosomeprowlingbeastorbird,orgraduallyminglewiththedecayingleaveswhichtheysomuchresemble.Itissaidthatwhenhatchedbyahentheywilldirectlydisperseonsomealarm,andsoarelost,fortheyneverhearthemother’scallwhichgathersthemagain.Theseweremyhensandchickens. Itisremarkablehowmanycreatureslivewildandfreethoughsecretinthewoods,andstillsustainthemselvesintheneighborhoodoftowns,suspectedbyhuntersonly.Howretiredtheottermanagestolivehere!Hegrowstobefourfeetlong,asbigasasmallboy,perhapswithoutanyhumanbeinggettingaglimpseofhim.Iformerlysawtheraccooninthewoodsbehindwheremyhouseisbuilt,andprobablystillheardtheirwhinneringatnight.CommonlyIrestedanhourortwointheshadeatnoon,afterplanting,andatemylunch,andreadalittlebyaspringwhichwasthesourceofaswampandofabrook,oozingfromunderBrister’sHill,halfamilefrommyfield.Theapproachtothiswasthroughasuccessionofdescendinggrassyhollows,fullofyoungpitch-pines,intoalargerwoodabouttheswamp.There,inaverysecludedandshadedspot,underaspreadingwhite-pine,therewasyetaclean,firmswardtositon.Ihaddugoutthespringandmadeawellofcleargraywater,whereIcoulddipupapailfulwithoutroilingit,andthitherIwentforthispurposealmosteverydayinmidsummer,whenthepondwaswarmest.Thither,too,thewood-cockledherbrood,toprobethemudforworms,flyingbutafootabovethemdownthebank,whiletheyraninatroopbeneathbutatlast,spyingme,shewouldleaveheryoungandcircleroundandroundme,nearerandnearertillwithinfourorfivefeet,pretendingbrokenwingsandlegs,toattractmyattention,andgetoffheryoung,whowouldalreadyhavetakenuptheirmarch,withfaintwirypeep,singlefilethroughtheswamp,asshedirected.OrIheardthepeepoftheyoungwhenIcouldnotseetheparentbird.Theretootheturtle-dovessatoverthespring,orflutteredfromboughtoboughofthesoftwhite-pinesovermyheadortheredsquirrel,coursingdownthenearestbough,wasparticularlyfamiliarandinquisitive.Youonlyneedsitstilllongenoughinsomeattractivespotinthewoodsthatallitsinhabitantsmayexhibitthemselvestoyoubyturns. Iwaswitnesstoeventsofalesspeacefulcharacter.OnedaywhenIwentouttomywood-pile,orrathermypileofstumps,Iobservedtwolargeants,theonered,theothermuchlarger,nearlyhalfaninchlo