INTELLIGENCE IN BIRDS. 



At the present time, mere structure, anatomy and 

 classification in the study of natural history are engag- 

 ing less attention than those higher phases or problems 

 of the science, natural dependence, modification, manner 

 of life and animal psychology. The advanced botanist 

 turns his attention to the consideration of the fertiliza- 

 tion of the plants or flowers, the origin of their parts, 

 color, perfume, and the wonderful devices for their per- 

 petuation and increase. The entomologist, to the uses 

 of the insects in the economy of nature ; while those 

 pursuing their investigations in the higher branches of 

 zoology are most interested in the phenomena of mind 

 or animal intelligence. Especially is this true in the 

 study of ornithology. I^early all our native birds have 

 been identified and described ; little more can be accom- 

 phshed in this direction, and the man who shoots a thou- 

 sand birds for anatomical or technical examination 

 learns less than he who carefully studies the habits and 

 thoroughly learns the song of one. 



Intelligent people no longer attribute the sagacity so 

 often displayed by many animals to mere instinct ; they 

 understand that all creatures are in possession of a cer- 

 tain amount of mental or deliberative faculties, and are 



