THEIR INTERPRETATION BY MAN. 343 



In certain assemblies of Shetland crows, described by 

 Edmonstone and others, we have ike facts that 



1. The assembly is general birds of the same species 

 flock in large numbers from all quarters to a given point ; 



2. There is a marked difference in the behaviour of 

 different individuals in the assembly, including 



3. The punishment, or at least maltreatment, of one 

 individual by the whole body 



and man's interpretation is that in such an incident we have 

 a criminal trial by a general jury, including arraignment, 

 evidence, conviction, condemnation, and the execution of 

 capital punishment. All this may have been embodied in 

 the proceedings of the assembly. But it is equally improper 

 to assert that it was or was not so. The unsatisfactoriness 

 of man's speculations as to the cause, or nature, of the 

 phenomena of animal conduct is frequently, however, much 

 more obvious. 



The pecking to death of the wounded by birds such as 

 certain Indian crows is not necessarily an indication of 

 cruelty, rather than of humanity. It has the effect at least 

 of putting an end to an animal's torments of preventing 

 death by slow starvation, or its falling into the hands of 

 cruel enemies; while it also effectually puts an end, however, 

 to all chance of its recovery. 



When the American goatsucker and other birds change 

 their nest on any interference with their eggs, the supposed 

 motive may be prudence, precaution, fear of danger and of 

 loss of eggs ; but much more probably the action must be 

 referred for its causation to the category of puerperal, 

 morbid mental phenomena. 



In the mockery or mimicry of birds there may, or may 

 not, be an intention to annoy; but it is not easy to say the 

 least to determine in what cases such a feeling or desire is 

 present or absent. That it is frequently present is pointed 

 out in the chapter on ' Practical Jokes.' 



What may be the motive, feeling, or idea of the dog that 

 day after day, week after week, or even year after year, 

 couches upon its master's grave as in the case of the 

 famous ( Greyfriars Bobby,' of Edinburgh is a question 

 abundantly open to conjecture. 



