The Supposed “Fascination” of Birds

Abstract

IT is well known that the stoat (Putorius ermineus) sometimes performs extravagant antics by way of ruse in approaching rabbits or small birds, which, in the opinion of some persons, are “fascinated” or hypnotised by the display. I incline to believe that the subject of these manœuvres becomes so deeply interested, amused, or puzzled by the movements of the acrobat that it defers flight until too late. This view has been strengthened by what I witnessed from my library window in the spring of 1917. A male blackbird was sitting on the open lawn; a stoat was racing round the bird at high speed, now rolling itself into a ball, racing again, then leaping fully 2 ft. high and turning an aerial somersault, and again racing in circles. How long the performance had been going on before I happened to become a spectator I know not, but it went on under my eyes for perhaps seven minutes, during which time the black-bird never stirred and the stoat continued in violent movement. Every moment I expected that it would spring upon the bird, which it might easily have done, but nothing of the kind happened. Suddenly, in the middle of the performance, the blackbird flew away; and the stoat, apparently not caring to exhibit without a “gallery,” resumed its normal gait and disappeared in the bushes.