546 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Then he ventured upon a repetition of his exercise before anything 

 had moved in his neighborhood. I opened the door in the midst of 

 his practice and he stopped, and he never would crow when any one 

 was present. There is nothing particularly remarkable in the crowing 

 of itself, for many birds imitate the sounds made by other animals. 

 The curious fact about this circumstance was, that the bird would not 

 crow in my presence, and would always stop when any one appeared 

 to witness his exercise. There is no evidence that he had ever had an 

 unpleasant experience in connection with crowing. His conduct must 

 therefore be attributed to a kind of feeling of shame, or to a sense of 

 the unfitness of that method of expression to a bird of his character 

 and standing. Have we not in this another proof of the possession 

 by animals of a psychical quality which it has been usual to regard 

 as peculiarly and distinctively human? — Translated for the Popular 

 Science Monthly from Kosmos. 



SKETCH OF SIK DAYID BEEWSTER. 



THE contributions of Sir David Brewster to the progress of science 

 were principally connected with his researches in optical proper- 

 ties and phenomena ; and many of his discoveries in this line were 

 almost immediately turned to practical use. He also did a wholesome 

 work in diffusing knowledge and awakening interest in scientific sub- 

 jects by the publication of his popular and readable but accurate and 

 carefully prepared books. 



Sir David Brewster was born at Jedburgh, Scotland, December 

 11, 1781. His father was rector of the grammar-school, and a teacher 

 of considerable reputation, whom neighborhood fame characterized as 

 *'the best Latin scholar and the quickest temper in Scotland"; but 

 he was kindly withal. It was intended that David should become a 

 minister, and he was sent to the University of Edinburgh, to be edu- 

 cated with a view to that profession, when only twelve years old. His 

 tastes had, however, even before this time, turned into another direc- 

 tion. It is recorded of his earlier school-days that, though he was 

 never seen to pore over his books like the other boys, he always had 

 his lessons, kept a prominent place in his classes, and was frequently 

 applied to by his fellow-pupils for assistance. And it was in the days 

 of his childhood " that a dilapidated pane of glass in an upper win- 

 dow of his father's house produced the inquiring thoughts which led 

 him afterward to search into the mysteries of refracted light." 



He had become acquainted with James Veitch, of Inchbonny, half 

 a mile from Jedburgh, whom Sir Walter Scott has mentioned as a 

 "self-taught philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician." Yeitch 



