260 Life and Immortality. 



limping gait, proving to be lame. Great consideration was 

 shown the disabled one by the others, who permitted him to 

 feed first, while they stood aside until he had satisfied his 

 hunger, when, without the least bit of ceremony, or the least 

 indication of ill-nature or selfishness, they too set to work, 

 finishing in quick order whatever edible was left of the dead 

 animal. Their actions after feeding were exactly the counter- 

 part of those of the parents. Having finished their toilet, 

 the three sought the rail by the side of the father, where, like 

 their illustrious heads, they were soon occupied with the 

 most self-satisfying thoughts, utterly oblivious, as it seemed, 

 of time and surroundings. 



More than an hour was thus spent in drowsy meditation, 

 when, as by common consent, they all, one after the other, 

 leaped to the ground, where they busied themselves preening 

 their feathers and preparing for departure. The time being 

 ripe, the female set the example. With a run of a half-dozen 

 yards to gain a good start, she was soon on the wing, and in 

 fifteen minutes or more was lost in the ether. The male fol- 

 lowed suit, and when he had vanished from sight, the young, 

 one after another, mounted the atmosphere, and gradually 

 circling their way through its limitless depths, were also soon 

 lost to the earth-chained beholder. 



Concluding this brief chapter of bird-history, we have 

 a few brief comments to make. To the uninitiated in 

 science matters, the statements just made must seem well 

 nigh incredible. But there were other witnesses of the facts, 

 just and reliable observers, too, whose testimony could be 

 appealed to, to settle all doubts of their authenticity. From 

 all that has been said, it cannot but be evident that the female 

 was the acknowledged head of the family, a sort of feathered 

 autocrat, whose will was the law by which the family was 

 governed. Even the male, who did not always respect her 

 authority, especially where her interests conflicted with his 

 own, was made to see that might makes right when con- 

 fronted with her stronger and more powerful nature. But it 



