360 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



supplied her with materials ; she completed her 

 nest and sat on two hen's eggs, which she hatched, 

 and afterwards reared the young. Since then 

 she has hatched and brought up a brood of 

 chickens every year. She indicates her desire to 

 sit by scratching holes in the ground, and break- 

 ing everything within her reach. One summer, in 

 order to save her the fatigue of sitting, some young 

 chickens just hatched were put down to her ; but 

 she destroyed the whole. Her family in June 

 1831, consisted of nine ; the original number was 

 ten, but one had been lost. When flesh was given 

 to her, she was very assiduous in tearing it and 

 offering it as food to her nurselings, and appeared 

 uneasy if, after taking small portions from her, 

 they turned away to pick grain. This instance 

 is almost as remarkable a departure from the 

 natural impulses as that spoken of in Sacred Writ 

 the lion lying down with the lamb; for the 

 buzzard is a raptorial bird, and attacks young and 

 defenceless creatures of various kinds, which it 

 devours as its food. 



The manner in which pigeons feed their young 

 presents a singular exception to the general rule 

 in the history of birds. Among popular sayings 



