124 THE PAGAN CHRISTIAN OVERLAP OP* THE WISE BIRD. 



dove or a swallow will make for the home it knows. The raven 

 of Noah went forth, to and fro, until tke waters were dried up from 

 off the earth, and the dove did not, at last, return (Gen. viii., 7). 

 Whereas Izdubar's dove came back, whilst his raven went forth 

 and saw the decrease of waters and wandered away and returned 

 not (George Smith, Chald. Ace. Gen., p. 270). 



The wisdom of the conirostres was recognised of old in all 

 countries. Ravens assemble from enormous distances round any 

 supply of food, led, it is believed, rather by their powerful sight 

 than by their sense of smell. Birds of the crow family will, even 

 in a state of nature, mimic the voice of other animals, such as the 

 lamb, the kite, the owl, the cat; and in confinement they will 

 imitate the barking of a dog or the human voice, of which they can 

 be taught to repeat a few words (Dallas, Nat. Hist., p. 524). They 

 have much curiosity and love of mischief, and will steal and secrete 

 glittering objects. They have been known to bring food for days 

 together to a wounded dog. They have a keen perception of the 

 approach of danger and give warning of it to their friends. Thus, 

 the Buphaginse or Oxpeckers of Africa, who extract the larvae of 

 bot-flies from the backs of horned cattle, to the great delight and 

 relief of the latter, have such an understanding with their four- 

 footed companions that though with a domestic animal they allow 

 man to come very near without any alarm, yet for a wild animal 

 they give a signal of danger at man's distant approach (J. G. 

 Millais, F.Z.S., A Breath from the Veldt). 



We cannot be surprised, then, that Pallas Athene, at Corone, in 

 Messenia, bore a crow in her hand; or that this bird was an 

 attribute of Apollo, and rested on his lyre ; or that ravens brought 

 bread and flesh to a prophet of the Jews. 



The columbse remain to be considered. They have a refutation 

 for conjugal fidelity. During the breeding season the sexes 

 exhibit a most tender affection ; and they produce two broods in 

 the year. Their wisdom is chiefly shown by the faculty that some 

 species possess of finding their way home from distant places. 

 According to Darwin, the modern homing pigeon is descended 



