Apbil 1, 1899.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



77 



bird-life (with the usual results), that if he does but sit 

 down under a hedge instead of searching it, and looks 

 and listens, he may gather a richer store than ever filled 

 a collecting-box, though it be but a store of changing 

 pictures in memory's cinematograph. 



It is now proposed to approach another theme — the 

 restraint of a wild bird's impetuous voracity when it 

 ofifers food to a courted companion or a brooding mate. 

 The incident proves the bird to be akin to man in sense 

 and feeling; and even the possession of ulna, radius, 

 and metacarpals, will never prove that. It is not every 

 animal that rises to so high a level as to share dinner 

 with a mate ; not all dogs, nor even aU human beings 

 attain to it. 



Of course, if adult birds of any species habitually fed 

 each other on ordinary occasions, the same behaviour in the 

 breeding season would be no evidence that it had anything 

 to do with love. But the converse is the case. I have 

 never heard of a wild bird which habitually shares its food 

 with a mate. In times of scarcity, however, a bird has 

 sometimes been observed to feed a companion. In the 

 severe winter of 1879-80 there was a good deal of snow in 

 the western counties, and the rooks had a bad time, finding 

 a diet of mangold insufficient. Several of them came to a 

 garden in which the birds were fed. Another rook, whose 

 flight betrayed its lightness and weakness, perched in a 

 tree there, and one of the usual two or three took up a 

 piece of bread directly to the newcomer, and gave it up to 

 him without any show of resistance or anger. I saw this 

 from a distance of about twenty-five j-ards. Quite possibly 

 the birds were mates ; but the incident is only mentioned 

 for its rarity. 



In the nesting season the males of many species feed 

 their mates on or " off" the nest, as is well known. The 

 rook, for instance, brings food to his mate, who, when 

 receiving it, flutters her wings (a frequent habit at this 

 time), and also utters a hoarse cry similar to the cries of 

 the young. The adult rook utters this note on no other 

 occasion. In several species of finches, also, the male 

 feeds his sitting mate. I have seen this done by the 

 chaffinch, greenfinch, linnet, and lesser redpole. The 

 recipients shook their wings and uttered call-notes. The 

 food thus bestowed could hardly be termed a " love-gift " ; 

 but when, before birds have a nest, and apparently before 

 they have paired, the male gives the female morsels of 

 food, it is fair to assume that this courtesy is intended as 

 an earnest of passion — that it is, in fact, a love-gift. 



I do not know of any book to which the student can 

 refer for information on this fascinating theme. He should, 

 therefore, refer to the book of nature ; and if he will use 

 a small telescope, and be silent, he should easily obtain 

 information from this source. 



Among the raptores, it is probable that the brooding 

 female obtains food chiefly by the agency of her mate. 

 Major C. Hawkins Fisher (the well-known falconer) informs 

 me that the male peregrine hunts all day to supply the 

 domestic larder, which is in the charge of his mate. 



Among domestic birds, the common fowl affords a con- 

 spicuous instance of gallantry when the male calls the 

 females to some choice morsel. He obviously intends the 

 tid-bit only for the hens, and any rival attempting to 

 partake of it is at once attacked. 



In regard to domestic pigeons, I have obtained in- 

 formation from my brother, Mr. E. N. 'Witchell, who has 

 been for many years a successful flier of homing pigeons, 

 and has from childhood kept this and other varieties. One 

 of the indications of pairing by pigeons is the insertion of 

 the beak of the male into that of the female, and this is 

 accompanied by a shuffling of the winga exactly as occurs 



when the young are fed. It does not appear, however, 

 that any considerable amount of food (if any at all) passes 

 from the male. Homers never omit this performance 

 before pairing. The male homer is passionately fond of 

 his home, his mate, and his young. But though his mate 

 is a model wife, he is not a model husband, and often^ 

 especially if a strong flier, he is likely to bring domestic 

 troubles into the life of any unmated young female bird in 

 the loft. But it is a general rule for the cock to " feed " 

 only his own hen, though there are exceptions to this rule. 

 This very curious fact has often been noticed by my brother. 

 It indicates that to the wife of the nest this courtesy of the 

 pigeon is reserved, and that the other bkds are deemed 

 unworthy of it. These observations do not apply to pouters, 

 runts, and trumpeters, which are " very immoral.'" It 

 should be remembered that homers live the most naturally 

 of any except farmhouse pigeons, and they may, therefore, 

 be supposed to possess the natural instincts of their race 

 in greater vigour than any other fancy breed. 



Returning to wild birds, my opportunities have been too 

 Hmited to enable me to generalize ; but the following 

 observations may be not without value to those who try to 

 see in the bird a sentient and tender being. 



A few days after the arrival of the spotted flycatcher, 

 a pair of them were in a near tree. The male often 

 attempted a song, and was evidently following the female.. 

 He suddenly went forth on a longer journey than usual, 

 as though for a larger insect, turned and went to the 

 female, and in the gentlest manner presented to her the 

 captured insect (which appeared to be of the size of a bee). 

 She took it sedately. Shortly after, she received another 

 gift of the same kind. A second pair of flycatchers 

 behaved in precisely the same manner. Last April a male 

 robin gave some food in the same way to its mate. Both 

 birds often uttered their call note. 



Several male chaffinches, before nesting time, gave 

 captured insects to their intended mates. AU these 

 insects were captured in flight. The chaffinches were full 

 of ardour, the males, all a-flutter with excitement, follow- 

 ing the females, and with the cuckoo-like flight, which is 

 one of the bird's surest signs of love, and repeating the 

 soft love-note almost incessantly. 



On one of the first days of May, two willow wrens were 

 busy in a hedge. The male often sang, but was mainly 

 intent on keeping near his companion, who appeared to be 

 a female bird. She was seemingly indifferent to his 

 presence, and hunted for insects with all the graceful 

 activity of her species. But she remained in the same 

 spot. The male was greatly excited, his wings lowered 

 and pulsating, and his call-note prolonged to a scream 

 rather than a chirp. Through the telescope it was evident 

 that she also was trembling a little. Suddenly the male 

 darted forth, returned and alighted near the other. He 

 then without haste went to her, and her beak met his. 

 The incident was so brief that the telescope could not be 

 used ; but it was, perhaps, fair to assume that he had 

 found and bestowed a love-gift. She accepted it with the 

 same sedateneas that the female flycatchers, chaffinches, 

 and robin had exhibited in the like circumstances. 



THE ACETYLENE INDUSTRY. 



By George T. Holloway, assoc.r.coll.sc, f.i.c. 



ACETYLENE or "ethine" has been known for about 

 sixty years, yet it is only within the last four 

 years that it has been proved possible to produce 

 it at a cost which renders it of commercial im- 

 portance. Even now, it must be considered to 

 be merely on trial, although the industry which embraces 



