fjgz. on aninial instinct. ly 



to him. It is an attested fact, that if a ring be drop- 

 ped into a deep well, and a signal given to him, he 

 will flj down with amazing celerity, catch the ring 

 before it touches the water, and bring it up to his 

 master with apparent exultation ; and it is confident- 

 \j afserted, that if a house, or any other place, be 

 fliown to him once or twice, he will carry a noJ:e 

 thither immediately on a proper signal being made. 

 One instance of his docility I can myself mention 

 with confidence, having often been an eye witnefs of 

 it. The yo\ing Hindoo women at Benares, and in o- 

 ther places, wear very thin plates of gold, called 

 tica^s, slightly fixed, by way of ornament, between 

 their eye-brov/s, and when they pafs through the 

 streets, it is not uncomxnon for the youthful liber- 

 tines, who amuse thfrtTiselves with training bayas^ 

 to give them a signal v^hich they undei j.and, and 

 send them to pluck the pieces of gold from the fore- 

 heads of their mistrefses, which they bring in triumph 

 to the lovers. This is a truly singular instance of 

 docility in a bird, the like of which has never before 

 fallen under the notice of A young observer*. 



* Thinking, the reader may be curious to know more of this singular 

 kird, I supply tiie rest of ihe dcsciiption omitted by this correspondent. 



'' .This bird, which is called hcrhira in Sanscrit, habui in the dialect 

 of Berg il, ciliii in Persian, and tenaiuivit in Arabic, from his remarkable 

 pendant ne:t, is rather larg.-r than asparrow, with yellow brownplumnge, 

 a yeilowifli liead and feet, a light coloured breast, and a conic beak, very- 

 thick in proportion to his body, is exceedingly common in Hindostan. 

 He is astonifhingly SL-rs'ble, faithful, and docile, never voluntarily desert- 

 irg the place wh';re h s young were hatched; but not averse, like most 

 other birds, to the society of mankind j and e.sily taiicjht to perch on the- 

 hand of his muster. In a siate of nature he generally builds his nest on, 

 tlis hig!;cs: ticc lie »an find, especially cu the palmyra, or on die Indian 



