SOCIETY OK NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 205 



than we now are to place them ])roi)erly. Hut the ear of ten aids the 

 eve. t'sjM'ciallv tlnrin"; the season of son^". Their notes are far more 

 variant and distinctive than either size. form, or plunni^e. Individ- 

 ual peculiarities are less observable in their notes than in their aji- 

 pearances: and yet they differ much in son*;. It is not often that an 

 individual can Ije identitied by such peculiarities, yet instances of in- 

 dividual iilentitication sometimes occur. A pair of rol>ins s]M'nt their 

 third year with us last season, of whose identity the writer has in)t 

 the slightest doubt. They are a jieculiar pair, tlie fennile bein«>' 

 larf4"er and of lit^hter color than '.isual. besides having a protuberance 

 on the left breast, produced by some serious injury. v<'ry likely caused 

 by a niissle from the hand of some thoui^^htless boy. The male is 

 rather under size, but of elegant form and jaunty air. with a very 

 red breast. He has also a ])eculiar third note, coming in occasionally. 

 at almost re^ifular intervals, before his "cheer up." in -quite a no- 

 ticeable way. He is fond of singing, but quite averse to domestic 

 duties, esjjecially dislikinjj; takinji; his turn at hovering- the ej^'gs dur- 

 ing the })rocess of incubation: for which disinclinatiim he often gets 

 s(mndly cuffed l)y the wings of Madam Robin before he will obey 

 instructions. Even when driven to the nest, the writer has often 

 spon him "'sit standing"* as soon as madam has gone for her break- 

 fast, chirruping lightly and softly until caught at it Ijy his better 

 half, who then returns and administers another cuffing before full 

 obedience is secured. Can T doubt the identity of the pair when all 

 these })eculiarities appear each season y There are })ro])ably no di- 

 vorce courts among the feathered trilies. or surely this poor hen- 

 pecked husband would long ere this have been set free from his 

 domineering wife. 



I could narrate some other instances, though less striking, of 

 established identity. It is only the dullness of our sight, or the want 

 of careful observatioiL which requires such strong and peculiar proof 

 to establish their identity. They doul)tless. with their keener sight. 

 note each other's peculiarities of fcjrm and feature, and readily dis- 

 tinguish each other at a glance. 



The infinite variety of size, color, form, and feature, by which 

 thev distinguish each other, is the greatest difficulty in the recogni- 

 tion of individuals as belonging to their proper species. There is no 

 duplication in Nature's processes — no two of her creations, either 

 animate or inanimate, are exactly alike. That we are often nimble 

 to note the exact differem-es argues only the limitation of our facul- 

 ties. n(^t the lack of oj)portunities for their exercise. W e may not 

 always be able to note the exact differences that exist in tin- huiuan 

 face, yet we are conscious of their existence whether or not we are 

 able to define them. 



The last season was unusually favorable for studying the Inibits 

 of birds, owing to the lateness of the season and the bareness of the 

 trees for weeks when they are usually covered with foliage. It was 



