18 BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



and the result is visible when the moulting season 

 returns. Dr. Young, in speaking of the change 

 of colour in the plumage of birds from fear, says : 

 " A blackbird had been surprised in its cage by 

 a cat ; when it was relieved, it was found lying on 

 its back and quite wet with sweat. The feathers 

 fell off and were renewed, but the new ones were 

 perfectly white. A grey linnet happened to raise 

 its feathers at a man who was drunk. He in- 

 stantly tore the creature from its cage, and 

 plucked off all its feathers. The poor animal 

 survived the outrage, and had its feathers replaced, 

 but they were also white." 



The sympathy and fellow-feeling shown by 

 birds is another very striking and pleasing 



SYMPATHY ^ 



FELLOW- feature i* 1 them. " These feelings, so 

 FEELING, highly characteristic of benevolence and 

 kindness of heart in the human race, are most 

 powerfully felt in the animal world," says Mr. 

 E. P. Thompson, in his valuable work on " The 

 Passions of Animals :" " They are less surpris- 

 ing when extended from one to another by those 

 of the same species, but are particularly so 

 when exercised between those of different habits 

 and orders. There must exist a fellow-feeling, 

 a knowledge of the suffering felt, and a desire 

 to alleviate it faculties so far exceeding the 

 highest degrees of intelligence ordinarily ascribed 



