Ornithological and Other Oddities 



weavers form apparent exceptions, but even 

 these, although so pugnacious, take care to 

 form their hanging homes within easy quarrel- 

 ling distance, and the flocks continue united all 

 the year. 



They are, it must be admitted, rather excep- 

 tional in this, for breeding colonies of land birds 

 are rare everywhere ; but about the winter 

 sociability of many Eastern species no doubt 

 is admissible. Another advantage birds are 

 supposed to gain from winter sociability is in- 

 creased ability to find food. The lucky tomtit 

 who discovers a cache of spiders' eggs sounds 

 the dinner bell, and the whole flock comes to 

 join him at the feast. It is, however, question- 

 able whether the bird itself regards this as an 

 advantage, and the real benefit he derives is 

 doubtless the comparative immunity from sur- 

 prise when at table, rather than any profit in 

 the "share and share alike" principle. For 

 tits are selfish little birds, and are not averse 

 even to cannibalism in captivity ; so that it is 

 reasonable to suppose their actions in a state 

 of nature are not unduly altruistic. Similarly 

 the Roman poet remarked — 



" If the crow could hold his tongue while he ate, 

 He'd have much more dinner and less debate," 



the action of the crow — at any rate, the Indian 

 species — of cawing and waving his wings over 



