3ntelliaence m a Jfuefincb. 



By E. HOPKINSON, D.S.O., M.B. 

 The following little incident, showing how 

 strongly the sense of locality is developed in small 

 birds, will probably be of interest. 



One day when travelling up country I found, 

 when I arrived at a certain village, that the house 

 prepared for me had a roof more useful for ventilation 

 than for anything else. As rain appeared to be im- 

 minent, an old and rainproof one was sent for from 

 the chief's yard. In due course this arrived and was 

 put in place of the defective one. An hour or two 

 later a hen Firefinch hopped out of a hole in the 

 thatch and flew round the hut, and eventually back to 

 her nest, only to come out again and make a thorough 

 inspection of her new surroundings, which evidently 

 puzzled her a good bit. After thoroughly examining 

 the interior she flew out of the door, but was soon 

 back again, evidently not liking to leave her eggs, 

 (which I found she was sitting on), for long. Gradually 

 however the absences grew longer, and during the 

 early afternoon she disappeared, (as I thought for 

 good), but about four or five o'clock, just as I was 

 changing to go out shooting, I heard the familiar 

 "chirp," and there she was, back again at the mouth 

 of the nest. She had no sooner disappeared into this, 

 when in flew a cock which, after a fly round the 

 house, heard his mate's voice and followed her into 

 the nest. Next morning they were both in and out 

 all day, and quite settled down in their new surround- 

 ings. I can only hope their move back to town, when 

 I left, was as successful. 



The distance the roof was carried was about 300 



