. Wild nature's ways . , she actually alighted on myobstructive headgear, and finally crept beneathit to get to her young with food. In the case of the other pair of birds, thingswere absolutely and surprisingly reversed. Themale—a timeworn-looking individual—was socourageous that he could hardly be driven awayfrom the precincts of his nest, whereas hismate—a beautifully prim little bird—was so shythat she never once gave me an opportunity ofphotographing her. Time after time she sat onsome gracefully bent spray towering advantag-eously above the rest of the marsh growth, andpiped shrill notes
. Wild nature's ways . , she actually alighted on myobstructive headgear, and finally crept beneathit to get to her young with food. In the case of the other pair of birds, thingswere absolutely and surprisingly reversed. Themale—a timeworn-looking individual—was socourageous that he could hardly be driven awayfrom the precincts of his nest, whereas hismate—a beautifully prim little bird—was so shythat she never once gave me an opportunity ofphotographing her. Time after time she sat onsome gracefully bent spray towering advantag-eously above the rest of the marsh growth, andpiped shrill notes of alarm until the small dragonflies and moths she held in her bill died, whenshe swallowed them, and Hew away do\ windin search of more. I do not for a moment suggest that there wasany connection whatever between clothing andcourage. Shabbiness of attire and boldness weremere coincidences serving to emphasise the morestrikingly how far individuality plays its partamongst creatures whose lives and doings are. FEMALE YELLOW WAGTAILGOING TO NEST. 2o6 WILD NATURES WAYS. popularly supposed to be governed by mono-tonously rigid laws of instinct. Not one of the four individuals I had underobservation showed any disposition to give wingedinsects the slightest quarter. If the outermost
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