2 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



be r seen 'thus trimming themselves. A short time 

 after they are able to open their eyes, while the 

 down which covers them when hatched has not 

 begun to be replaced by feathers, we have, in nu- 

 merous instances, seen them turning round their 

 heads and going over all the tiny bits of down 

 and the ends of the sprouting feathers within their 

 reach. This might be plausibly supposed to be ra- 

 ther the mother's task, and it is usually so stated in 

 books ; but though the mother is very attentive, as 

 we shall presently see, to every species of cleanliness, 

 Providence has ordered that so important a circum- 

 stance should not be left wholly to her care. Those 

 who have not an opportunity of verifying our remark 

 in the case of nestling birds, may readily observe 

 the same thing in domestic animals. Cats, for ex- 

 ample, are very assiduous in cleaning the fur of their 

 kittens, for which purpose their rough tongue is ad- 

 mirably adapted : but a kitten, like the nestling bird, 

 when only a few days old, may be seen dressing 

 itself assiduously ; and as soon as it can run about, 

 it will even endeavour to clean its dam. This cir- 

 cumstance we never observed among young birds 

 and their mothers ; though it is by no means un- 

 common among rabbits, horses, and other domestic 

 quadrupeds. Mutual assistance in cleaning is even 

 given by individuals not of the same family, as 

 may be seen in horses dressing each other's necks ; 

 and Wilson relates an instance of the same thing 

 in the case of two birds, not even of the same 

 species, in his inimitable account of the blue jay 

 (Garrulus cristatus, BRISSON). An individual of this 

 species, which had been caught in the woods, was put 

 into the same cage with an orchard oriole (Icterus 

 spurius, BONAPARTE), who at first received the new- 

 comer with no little jealousy ; but this all vanished in 

 a few hours, &nd they lived together in good humour. 



