FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN BIRDS. 



frequenting the shrubs on the green in our garden. 

 From the slenderness of their forms, and the fresh- 

 ness of their plumage, we pronounced them to be 

 birds of the preceding summer. There was an 

 association and friendship between them, that 

 called our attention to their actions: one of them 

 seemed ailing, or feeble from some bodily accident ; 

 for though it hopped about, yet it appeared unable 

 to obtain sufficiency of food: its companion, an 

 active sprightly bird, would frequently bring it 

 worms, or bruised snails, when they mutually par- 

 took of the banquet ; and the ailing bird would wait 

 patiently, understand the actions, expect the assist- 

 ance of the other, and advance from his asylum 

 upon its approach. This procedure was continued 

 for some days, but after a time we missed the fos- 

 tered bird, which probably died, or by reason of 

 its weakness met with some fatal accident. We 

 have many relations of the natural affection of 

 animals ; and whoever has attended to the actions 

 of the various creatures we are accustomed to 

 domesticate about us can probably add many other 

 instances from their own observation. Actions 

 which are in any way analogous to the above, when 

 they are performed by mankind, arise most com- 

 monly from duty, affection, pity, interest, pride ; 

 but we are not generally disposed to allow the 

 inferior orders of creation the possession of any of 

 these feelings, except perhaps the last : yet when 



