864 Dynamic Theory. 



and House Sparrow. "All our Swallows have been modified by human 

 agency excepting the Bank swallow." The Paradise Duck of New 

 Zealand, when its nest on the ground was disturbed, built a new one in 

 a tree, and carried its young down to the water on its back. Similar 

 conduct was observed in the wild ducks of Gruiana. 



Palm Swifts, of Jamaica, always till 1857, built their nests in palm 

 trees. Then two palms containing the nests of a colony blew down, and 

 then the swifts drove the swallows out of the assembly house and built 

 there, where they remained thereafter. Their nests were there less elab- 

 orate, because less exposed than in the trees. 



A hen which had reared three broods of ducks, was in the habit of 

 flying out to a stone in the water and have her brood swimming around 

 her. Afterwards when she hatched a brood of chickens she flew out to 

 the stone and called her chicks as she had done the ducks. Another 

 hen which had raised ducks, when she afterwards had chicks, tried to 

 teach them to swim and pushed them off into the water for that purpose. 

 Another hen hatched a peacock, having to set a week longer than usual 

 for that purpose. Afterwards she took care of him, combed his head, 

 &c., she standing on a seat and he bending his head with satisfaction, for 

 18 months, never laying any eggs during that time. 



A cat deprived of three of her five kittens, took as many young rats, 

 and afterwards losing the other two kits, took two more rats, suckled 

 them and took care of them, they reciprocating. A cat reared a leveret, 

 another reared a puppy. 



These are cases of intelligent adaptation. 



Humble bees and common bees visited a patch of kidney beans ; the 

 latter at first sucked the flower, but the former bored with their mandi- 

 bles small holes through the under side of the calyx, and so got at the 

 nectar more directly. The other bees soon caught on to this and sucked 

 at these holes, too, though they did not bore for themselves. The above 

 actions include observation and imitation. 



Dogs learn by experience how to fight strange animals, as for example, 

 a Badger. Dogs learned from each other in the Falkland islands how 

 to attack wild cattle. 



Many birds learn the tunes of others. (One was taught the Marseilles. ) 

 Mocking birds, Parrots, Jays, Jackdaws and Starlings, all imitate, es- 

 pecially when obliged by confinement to hear particular tunes. Those 

 that are quick at attaining, also quickly forget, being like mankind in 

 that as well as other respects. 



Puppies reared with kittens often imitate their way, leaping at prey, 

 washing their face, &c. 



Strange cattle and young lambs without their mothers are poisoned by 

 plants, which are avoided by those experienced. So they learn poisons 



