Cuap. XIV. Mental Qualities. 41 1 



Mr. Bennett relates ll that in China after a drake of the beautiful 

 mandarin Teal had been stolen, the duck remained disconsolate, 

 though sedulously courted by another mandarin drake, who dis- 

 played before her all his charms. After an interval of three 

 weeks the stolen drake was recovered, and instantly the pair 

 recognised each other with extreme joy. On the other hand 

 starlings, as we have seen, may be consoled thrice in the same 

 day for the loss of their mates. Pigeons have such excellent 

 local memories, that they have been known to return to their 

 former homes after an interval of nine months, yet, as I hear 

 from Mr. Harrison Weir, if a pair which naturally would remain 

 mated for life be separated for a few weeks during the winter, 

 and afterwards matched with other birds, the two, when brought 

 together again, rarely, if ever, recognise each other. 



Birds sometimes exhibit benevolent feelings*, they will feed 

 the deserted young ones even of distinct species, but this perhaps 

 ought to be considered as a mistaken instinct. They will feed, 

 as shewn in an earlier part of this work, adult birds of their own 

 species which have become blind. Mr. Buxton gives a curious 

 account of a parrot which took care of a frost-bitten and crippled 

 bird of a distinct species, cleansed her feathers, and defended her 

 from the attacks of the other parrots which roamed freely about 

 his garden. It is a still more curious fact that these birds 

 apparently evince some sympathy for the pleasures of their 

 fellows. When a pair of cockatoos made a nest in an acacia 

 tree, " it was ridiculous to see the extravagant interest taken in 

 " the matter by the others of the same species." These parrots, 

 also, evinced unbounded curiosity, and clearly had " the idea of 

 " property and possession." vz They have good memories, for in 

 the Zoological Gardens they have plainly recognised their former 

 masters after an interval of some months. 



Birds possess acute powers of observation. Every mated bird, 

 of course, recognises its fellow. Audubon states that a certain 

 number of mocking- thrushes (Mimus jjolygluttus) remain all the 

 year round in Louisiana, whilst others migrate to the Eastern 

 States ; these latter, on their return, are instantly recognised, 

 and always attacked, by their southern brethren. Birds under 

 confinement distinguish different persons/as is proved by the 

 strong and permanent antipathy or affection which they shew, 

 without any apparent cause, towards certain individuals. I 



* moped, refused her food, and died 12 'Acclimatization of Parrots,' 



w of a broken heart." by C. Buxton, M.P. 'Annals and 



11 « Wanderings in New South Mag. of Nat. Hist.' Nov. 1868, p. 



VMtis,' vol. ii. 1834, p. 62. 381. 



