INSTINCT 



of observation which we possess, and then take 

 into consideration their keen sense of smell, 

 we can account for many things that seem 

 mysterious. However, dogs and cats are lost 

 every day in the week. 



Nest building is said to be instinctive, but 

 I shall have to take exceptions to the state- 

 ment. I do not deny that the art is heredi- 

 tary, and that a young bird confined might 

 essay to build something for a nest, but I do 

 deny that the selection of straws is under 

 the influence of instinct. I believe young 

 birds examine the nest in which they are 

 reared intelligently, and are educated by 

 their parents in part in the selection of ma- 

 terial. I once saw an old catbird give her 

 young daughter a lesson in nest building. 

 The young catbird had carried a large quan- 

 tity of rootlets from my garden to a patch 

 of catbrier. She had placed it so loosely 

 that a good breeze would have upset the 

 whole affair. While I was looking on won- 

 dering what the bird would do if the wind 

 should rise, the old catbird, the young 

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