BIRDS. 467 



before her all his charms. After an interval of three weeks 

 the stolen drake was recovered, and instantly the pair 

 recognized each ot'ner with extreme joy. On the other 

 hand starlings, as we have seen, may be consoled thrice in 

 the same day for the loss of their mates. Pigeons have 

 such excellent local memories that they have been known 

 to return to their former homes after an interval of nine 

 months, yet, as I hear from Mr. Harrison Weir, if a pair 

 which naturally would remain mated for life be separated 

 for a few weeks during the winter, and afterward matched 

 with other birds, the two, when brought together again, 

 rarely, if ever, recognize each other. 



Birds sometimes exhibit benevolent feelings; they will 

 feed the deserted young ones even of distinct species, but 

 this perhaps ought to be considered as a mistaken instinct. 

 They will feed, as shown in an earlier part of this work, 

 adult birds of their own species which have become blind. 

 Mr. Buxton gives a curious account of a parrot which took 

 care of a frost-bitten and crippled bird of a distinct species, 

 cleansed her feathers and defended her from the attacks of 

 the other parrots which roamed freely about his garden. 

 It is a still more curious fact that these birds apparently 

 evince some sympathy for the pleasures of their fellows. 

 When a pair of cockatoos made a nest in an acacia tree '' it 

 was ridiculous to see the extravagant interest taken in the 

 matter by the others of tiie same species. These parrots 

 also evinced unbounded curiosity and clearly had " the 

 idea of property and possession."* They have good mem- 

 ories, for in the Zoological Gardens they have plainly 

 recognized their former masters after an interval of some 

 months. 



Birds possess acute powers of observation. Every mated 

 bird, of course, recognizes its fellow. Audubon states that 

 a certain number of mocking-thrushes (Mimus polyglot f us) 

 remain all the year round in Louisiana, while others 

 migrate to the Eastern States; these latter on their return 

 are instantly recognized and always attacked by their 

 southern brethren. Birds under confinement distinguish 

 different persons, as is proved by the strong and permanent 

 antipathy or affection which they show without any appar- 



* " Acclimatization of Parrots," by C. Buxton, M. P. " Annals and 

 Mag. of Nat. Hist.," Nov., 1868, p. 381. 



