218 



THE GOLDFINCH. 



the lid of the box, after which, by putting its foot on the 

 lever, it could feed at leisure. He had also a Redpole, chained 

 on a nearly similar perch ; this bird fed from an open box 

 without the trouble of having recourse to the lifting power, 

 like his neighbour, the Goldfinch. But though the Redpole 

 could have known nothing of the use of the handle from his 

 own experience, as his food was to be got at without such 

 trouble, yet it seems he must have taken notice of it, and 

 seen that by touching this handle he could get at the Gold- 

 finch's food, were he within reach ; and this he kept in mind 

 for the day of need ; for one morning when loose, and his 

 own seed-box empty, he flew at once to the perch of his 

 friend, raised the lid of the seed-box with his bill, and then 

 laying hold of it with one foot, kept it open till he had made 

 a good breakfast. This apparently trifling circumstance 

 clearly shows that birds can and do take notice of some things, 

 and collect information which may be useful when needed. In 

 this case it required some time and attention to teach the 

 Goldfinch the use of the handle for holding up the lid of 

 the box ; but the Redpole had watched the operation, and 

 learned by observation how to do it as well as his friend. 1 * 



The following is another instance of sagacity in a pair of 

 Goldfinches. These little birds had built their nest on a 

 small branch of an olive-tree ; after hatching their brood, the 



parents perceived 

 that the weight of 

 the growing family 

 would soon be too 

 great for the 

 strength of the 

 branch which sup- 

 ported the nest ; 

 in fact, it was be- 

 ginning to give 

 way. Something 

 was to be done, or 

 the nest would fall, 

 this was evident 

 Phren. Journal, No. 34, p. 72. 



