Page:Bird-lore Vol 03.djvu/142

 A Nighthawk Incident 127 was setting when we reached the flat rock on which her eggs had been laid and young hatched and where she had last been seen; but a frag- ment of egg-shell was the only evidence that the bare-looking spot had once been a bird's home. The grass had lately been mowed and there was no immediately surrounding cover in which the bird might have hidden. It is eloquent testimony of the value of her protective coloring, therefore, that we should almost have stepped on the bird, who had moved to a near-by flat rock, as we approached the place in which we had expected to find her. Far more convincing, however, was her faith in her own invisibility. Even the presence of a dog did not tempt her to flight, and when the MCHIHAWK FENCE camera was erected on its tripod within three feet of her bod', scjuatting so closely to its rock' background, her onl moNcment was occasioned by her rapid breathing. I here was other cause, however, besiile the belief in her own incon- spicuousness to hold her to the rock: one httle dowin chick nestleil at her side and with instinctive obeilience was as motionless as its parent. So they sat while picture after picture was made from arious points of view and ^rili md movement, until the jiarent was lightly touched, when, starting (]uickl, she spread her long wings and sailed out oer the fields. Perhaps she was startleil and deserted her voting on the impulse of sudtlen fear. I'ut in a few seconds slu- recovered hersi-lf and, circling, returned and spread lu-rself out on the grass at m feet. Then followeil the evolutions common to so manv birds but wonderful in all. With