78 UPLAND AND MEADOW. 



exposed to be safe from molestation, and they were 

 abandoned, even after a full complement of eggs had 

 been laid. Can we explain this bj any other means 

 than by using that very suggestive term "foresight"? 

 But mark : when the same circumstance occurred after 

 the yonng had appeared, the claims of the brood upon 

 the parents were too strong to be overcome, and the 

 danger of occupying an exposed nest was deliberately 

 braved. 



Other pairs of nesting birds were experimented upon 

 that I might determine their intellectual status; first, 

 by placing a nearly life-size chrotno of a cat near the 

 nest, when unoccupied, and watching the result. This 

 depended much upon the character of the bird, whether 

 naturally timid or brave. When a song-sparrow found 

 itself stared at by the cat, it rushed precipitately from 

 the nest and did not return until the picture had been 

 removed. When the chromo was left for several hours 

 near a nest, it was permanently abandoned. In no case 

 did these birds offer to attack the animal, or express 

 alarm, and so call other birds to their aid. It was other- 

 wise with thrushes. I placed the same picture near 

 nests of catbirds, song-thrushes, and the brown thrush. 

 Immediately a cry of alarm was uttered that brought 

 birds of the same and allied species to the rescue, and 

 the excitement steadily increased, as it was found that 

 no amount of scolding caused the intruding cat to retire. 

 It was particularly amusing to see their puzzled expres- 

 sions when they chanced behind the picture. Then, of 

 course, there was nothing to frighten, and they were 

 proportionately bold. In one instance a catbird, com- 



