68 BIRD BEHAVIOUR 



experiment, it being winter-time with snow on 

 the ground. Only one bird responded to the 

 alcoholic invitation, a cock Chaffinch, which after 

 partaking was visibly overcome, but able to escape 

 capture; and I retired myself with a feeling of 

 some compunction, fearing he might fall a victim 

 to some cat in his irresponsible condition. But I 

 might have spared my pity ; for next morning, a 

 cock Chaffinch, with ruffled plumage and in an 

 aggressive mood, was finishing the medicated seed 

 and keeping off the Sparrows, who were now quite 

 ready to experiment themselves. 



After this, I can believe a story which was told 

 me in India by a bird-dealer, to the effect that if 

 you gave a bird an opium pill and then released it, 

 it would come again next day for a repetition of 

 the dose. 



Of course the Vulture and the Cormorant are re- 

 garded as the stock examples of gastronomical excess 

 in birds ; but I doubt if this is just. They cer- 

 tainly can perform phenomenal gorging feats, but it 

 must be remembered that the Cormorant must at 

 any rate search and work hard for its food, and 

 that the Vulture's meals are very intermittent. 

 From what I saw in India, where Vultures were 

 practically always on view aloft at some time of 

 the day and somewhere, while one could seldom 

 see them feeding, I came to the conclusion that 

 they probably only got a meal about once a week, 

 so that if they indulged heavily at such times they 

 could not fairly be- accused of gluttony. It will be 



