Experiences of birds which in crises lose all fear of
man seem to be of world-wide scope. The latest of a long list reaches me from the Upper Stikine Mission in British Columbia :
" While on the trail from Telegraph Creek to Atlin during my annual trip by dog sleigh, on one of the passes some 2,000 feet up, I noticed a ptarmigan flying over the timber with a hawk (a duck hawk I think it was) in close pursuit. The ptarmigan was being swiftly overtaken, and, as we approached over a small rise, wheeled almost at right angles and flew straight for me. At the time I was walking ahead of the dogs with my Indian guide, and the bird flew apparently head foremost straight into the snow at my feet. The hawk, which was then close behind it, wheeled within a foot or so of my head, and with a cry soared off, followed by a shot from my boy's rifle. I reached down and picked up the ptarmigan, which just sat in my hand and appeared quite unhurt. I then carefully placed it by a little muskeg bush, and although it seemed more ready to return to my warm hand, finally ran into the bush, where we left it. We saw nothing further of the hawk. I understand this is not an uncommon occurrence in the north."
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