UNNATURAL HISTORY 151 



tailor, it probably thought that it was doing an act 

 of kindness. 



Not many months ago, I read in a popular magazine 

 of Natural History of some pigeons which took offence 

 at something done by the owner of a garden, in which 

 they were in the habit of feeding. The offended birds 

 took counsel among themselves and then went away, 

 and, having gathered together some other kindred 

 spirits, proceeded to devastate the garden, uprooting 

 plants and plucking the flowers. 



The " Spectator " used to be a great disseminator of 

 unnatural history. I am glad to be able to say that 

 the paper has since mended its ways, and now publishes 

 most excellent articles on birds and beasts by those 

 who are really acquainted with their ways. As an 

 example of what used to appear, let me quote the 

 following, which has been republished in a book entitled 

 " Cat and Bird Stories." The paragraph is headed 

 " Feline Mourners." Says the writer : " A lady told 

 me that there was a pet cat in her family, who was 

 very fond of this lady's mother. When the latter was 

 in her last illness, the cat was continually with her, 

 lying on the bed. The lady died, and the cat was, of 

 course, not again admitted to the room, though pre- 

 senting herself again and again at the door. When the 

 coffin was being carried downstairs, the cat happened 

 to appear, and, on seeing it, uttered a shriek. . . . The 

 sound made was entirely unlike those made by cats 

 under any circumstances whatever, unless it be the cry 

 made when in sudden pain." 



Let us for the moment go so far as to suppose that 



