The Birds' Calendar 



tropical regions, where their natural supplies 

 are the greatest, and their dependence u\xm 

 man the least, and it is altogether probable that 

 the question whether human beings are to be 

 found in any locality, has nothing to do in de- 

 termining their migration thither, except as 

 they have learned to associate his presence with 

 supply and variety of food ; just as the gulls 

 will follow the steamship far out to sea, simply 

 for the loaves and fishes. 



If the population of any country town were 

 utterly to disappear for a period of years, and by 

 invisible agencies all the agricultural and horti- 

 cultural conditions of the town were to be main- 

 tained, we may be sure that when the inhabi- 

 tants returned, they would find not only as 

 many birds of the usual species as before, but 

 many other varieties which, from timidity, had 

 hitherto resorted to more retired localities ; 

 and that one and all, if endowed with human 

 speech, would declare that they had enjoyed an 

 unusually quiet and peaceable hfe. 



We are certainly crediting them with far 

 more intelligence when we suppose them to re- 

 gard man as a treacherous foe, to be avoided 

 as far as is compatible with their own interests ; 

 when we remember that until recently relentless 



214 



