EDWARD BURGESS. 63 



ism to risk one's life for another and the small meed of 

 praise ought not to be withheld from those animals that 

 show equal courage. Birds show resentment as well as 

 affection. Swallows and martins retain distinct recol- 

 lection of injuries and avenge them. Linnaeus says that 

 when martins build under the eaves of houses they are 

 sometimes molested by the sparrows, who take posses- 

 sion of their nest. If they are not strong enough to dis- 

 lodge the intruders, he has known them to call in the 

 aid of their companions and plaster up the entrance with 

 mud, thus imprisoning the sparrow and killing him by 

 starvation. Jesse reports the same thing, though he 

 knew nothing of Linnaeus' s observations. 



On another occasion some swallows, who were driven 

 from their nest by sparrows, submitted quietly to their 

 loss until the young sparrows were hatched. The 

 swallows then watched their opportunity, and when the 

 mother left her nest for food they tore the nest down, 

 throwing the young birds to the ground and killing 

 them. 



The sagacity and cunning of crows are notorious. 

 Miss Bird, in her work on Japan, relates an instance of 

 which she was a witness that is quite amusing. A dog 

 was eating a piece of carrion in the presence of several 

 of these birds. They tried to pull the meat away from 

 him, and after several trials, intermingled with a good 

 deal of crow talk, succeeded, though with considerable 

 danger, in securing a piece. They then flew upon a 

 limb and held a very earnest consultation. A little 

 stratagem was then planned, which they proceeded at 

 once to put into execution. They flew down upon the 

 ground again and approached the dog as near as they 

 dared, with the exception of the big crow with the piece 

 of meat. He remained upon the limb and when all was 

 ready flew over the dog with the stolen property in his 

 bill. He dropped it, the dog let go the large piece to 



