72 THE FEATHERS. 



for three or four years the same phenomenon occurred, 

 two white Rooks being the invariable and sole nursery 

 establishment of this solitary sable pair of old birds. 

 This year (1837) the young ones were taken and reared. 

 A change of plumage has also been observed to take 

 place occasionally by limiting the bird to a particular 

 sort of food; thus bird-catchers say, that by the use of 

 hemp-seed, Bullfinches and some other kinds of birds 

 will frequently assume a darker colour. Fright, again, 

 (as in the case of human beings, whose hair has been 

 known to change under great excitement or alarm,) it is 

 said, will produce similar effects on birds; in proof of 

 which, we have been assured on the authority of a friend, 

 that a Bullfinch in his possession turned black in a few 

 hours after having been terrified by the approach and 

 attack of a cat upon its cage. 



