220 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



little, as we do with a friend through the lattice of a 

 prison, gave a small worm to each. This parental 

 intercourse continued regularly for some time, till 

 the young ones were completely fledged, and had 

 acquired a considerable degree of strength. I then 

 took one of the strongest of them and placed him on 

 the outside of the cage, in order to observe the con- 

 duct of the parents after one of their offspring was 

 emancipated. In a few minutes both parents ar- 

 rived, loaded, as usual, with food. They no sooner 

 perceived that one of their children had escaped from 

 prison, than they fluttered about and made a thou- 

 sand demonstrations of joy, both with their wings 

 and with their voices. These tumultuous expres- 

 sions of unexpected happiness at last gave place to a 

 more calm and soothing conversation. By their 

 voices and their movements it was evident that they 

 earnestly entreated him to follow them, and to fly 

 from his present dangerous state. He seemed to be 

 impatient to obey their mandates ; but, by his ges- 

 tures and the feeble sounds he uttered, he plainly 

 expressed that he was afraid to try an exertion he 

 had never before attempted. They, however, inces- 

 santly repeated their solicitations; by flying alter- 

 nately from the cage to a neighbouring chimney-top, 

 they endeavoured to show him how easily the journey 

 was to be accomplished. He, at last, committed himself 

 to the air, and alighted in safety. On his arrival an- 

 other scene of clamorous and active joy was exhibited. 

 Next day I repeated the same experiment, by expos- 

 ing another of the young ones on the top of the cage. 

 I observed the same conduct with the remainder of 

 the brood, which consisted of four. I need hardly 

 add, that not one either of the parents or children 

 ever afterwards revisited the execrated cage*.'* 



It does not appear to us that, in the instance of 

 # Philosophy of Natural History, 



