BOOBY. 419 



unable to regain the wing. An accident which hap- 

 pened to one of the two Boobies we have in our 

 yard, gave us an opportunity of seeing traits of this 

 feeling, and of its attendant emotions. My little 

 nephew, in chasing with a small whip one of our 

 birds, entangled the lash about its wing, and snapped 

 the arm-bone. The one bird not alone shewed 

 sympathy for the other, but exhibited curiosity 

 about the nature and character of the accident. 

 Our two birds are male and female. The wound- 

 ed Booby withdrew into a lonely part of the yard, 

 and stood there drooping. The female sought him 

 as soon as she heard his cry of agony, and after 

 ascertaining, by surveying him all round, that the 

 injury was in the wing, proceeded to prevail on 

 him to move the limb, that she might see whether 

 he was really disabled beyond the power of using 

 it for flight. After a quacking honk or two, as a 

 call to do something required of him, the female 

 stretched out one of her wings ; the wounded 

 male imitated her, and, making an effort, moved 

 out, in some sort of way, the wounded member 

 to its full length. He was now required by a 

 corresponding movement to raise it: he raised 

 the broken arm, but the wing could not be ele- 

 vated. The curiosity of the female was at a stand- 

 still. After a moment's pause, her wounded com- 

 panion was persuaded to make another trial at 

 imitation, and to give the wings some three or 

 four good flaps. He followed the given signal, 

 gave the required beats upon the air with so 

 thorough a good will, to meet the wishes of his 



