374 ADOPTION OF YOUNG. 



When the cries of animals in distress are heard, 

 it seems to excite the sympathy of others of their 

 own species. Birds have been known to feed the 

 young of those whose parents have been destroyed, 

 and swallows, sparrows, rooks and other grega- 

 rious birds will join together in defending their 

 young from predatory birds and animals. I lately, 

 however, was informed of an anecdote, which 

 places the kindly disposition of a dog in an inter- 

 esting light. 



A servant had thrown a litter of new-born kit- 

 tens into a tub of soapy water, which stood in the 

 yard of his master's house in order to drown them. 

 A fine Newfoundland bitch happened to witness 

 it, and, watching her opportunity, took each of the 

 kittens out of the water, and conveyed them to her 

 kennel, where she was seen endeavouring to foster 

 and reanimate them. She had no milk to give 

 them. If she had, the act would not, perhaps, 

 have been so extraordinary. It must, therefore, 

 have arisen, from an innate benevolence of dispo- 

 sition, thus exemplifying the beautiful precept 

 of shewing kindness to each other. Indeed, 

 during our passage through this life, we can 

 seldom be better employed than in endeavour- 

 ing to alleviate misery, and in fostering those 

 feelings of love and good-will which we are 

 all enjoined to shew to those around us. Much 

 may be done towards softening the sufferings of 



