Ingenuity of Birds. 183 



mother-bird when she came home. She and her mate 

 chattered together for some time, and then flew away. 



24. They came back soon, however, with a great many 

 others. They chattered together for a little while, and 

 then flew away again. 



25. Presently they all reappeared, flying in a long 

 file, one after the other, each bearing some mud in its 

 claws. They flew close to the nest, where sat the strange 

 bird in impudent security, and, as they passed, each threw 

 the mud he carried directly into the face of the intruder, 

 which was thus killed and buried in the very place of his 

 crime the nest he had stolen. 



26. From that moment Cuvier devoted himelf to the 

 study of birds, fishes, insects, quadrupeds, and other ani- 

 mals, and became distinguished for his knowledge of natu- 

 ral history. 



27. There are other birds which may be called 

 miners, for they dig holes in the earth and make 

 their nests at the end of these holes. 



28. Such are the SAND MARTINS, which dig in 

 a dry sand-bank horizontal galleries, at the ends 

 of which they have their comfortable nests. They 

 fly about in small flocks, and seem to make very 

 pleasant and sociable little communities. 



29. These things show that birds, though their heads 

 are small, must have brains. 



30. It is said by some naturalists that the CANARY-BIRD 

 has a larger brain in proportion to the size of its body than . 

 any other living creature ; however, it is wonderful to see 

 these bright little birds, after only a fortnight's training, 

 act before an audience, fight mimic battles and duels, fire 

 cannons, fall down as if shot, and, feigning death, be car- 

 ried off by their companions with astonishing composure. 



