It was too frightened to try to fly and I carried it nearly a mile
before it flew from my open hand."
If these observers are quite sure of what they saw, then undoubtedly
snakes have the power to draw birds within their grasp. I remember
that my mother told me that while gathering wild strawberries she
had on one occasion come upon a bird fluttering about the head of a
snake as if held there by a spell. On her appearance, the snake
lowered its head and made off, and the panting bird flew away.
A neighbor of mine killed a black snake which had swallowed a
full-grown red squirrel, probably captured by the same power of
fascination.
THE TRAGEDIES OF THE NESTS
The life of the birds, especially of our migratory song-birds, is a
series of adventures and of hair-breadth escapes by flood and field.
Very few of them probably die a natural death, or even live out half
their appointed days. The home instinct is strong in birds as it is in
most creatures; and I am convinced that every spring a large number of
those which have survived the Southern campaign return to their old
haunts to breed.
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