468 THE DESCENT OP MAW. 



ent cause toward certain individuals. I have heard of 

 numerous instances with jays, partridges, canaries, and 

 especially bullfinches. Mr. finssey has described in how 

 extraordinary a manner a tamed partridge recognized 

 everybody; and its likes and dislikes were very strong. 

 This bird seemed "fond of gay colors, and no new gown 

 or cap could be put on without catching his attention."* 

 Mr. Hewitt has described the habits of some ducks 

 (recently descended from wild birds^) which at the approach 

 of a strange dog or cat would rush headlong into the water 

 and exhaust themselves in their attempts to escape; but 

 they knew Mr. Hewitt's own clogs and cats so well that 

 they would lie down and bask in the sun close to them. 

 They always moved away from a strange man, and so they 

 would from the lady who attended them if she made any 

 great change in her dress. Audubon relates that he reared 

 and tamed a wild turkey which always ran away from any 

 strange dog; this bird escaped into the woods, and some 

 days afterward Audubon saw, as he thought, a wild turkey 

 and made his dog chase it; but to his astonishment the 

 bird did not run away, and the dog when he came up did 

 not attack the bird, for they mutually recognized each 

 other as old friends, f 



Mr. Jenner Weir is convinced that birds pay particular 

 attention to the colors of other birds, sometimes out of 

 jealousy and sometimes as a sign of kinship. Thus he 

 turned a reed-bunting (Eniberiza schceniculus), which had 

 acquired its black head-dress, into his aviary, and the new- 

 comer was not noticed by any bird except by a bullfinch, 

 which is likewise black-headed. This bullfinch was a very 

 quiet bird, and had never before quarreled with any of its 

 comrades, including another reed-bunting, which had not 

 as yet become black-headed ; but the reed-bunting with a 

 black head was so unmercifully treated that it had to be 

 removed. Spiza cyanea, during the breeding-season, is of 

 a bright blue color; and though generally peaceable, it 

 attacked 8. ciris, which has only the head blue, and com- 

 pletely scalped the unfortunate bird. Mr. Weir was also 



*" The Zoologist," 1847-1848, p. 1602. 



f Hewitt on wild ducks, " Journal of Horticulture," Jan. 13, 1863, 

 p. 39. Audubon on the wild turkey, " Omith. Biography," vol. i, p, 

 14. On the mocking-thrush, ibid, vol. i, p. 110. 



