J]() ON THE FASCINATING FACULTY 



Fafts and ob- The inftaiices which I have already mentioned, as well as a 



fervatipns re- ^^^^ which remains to be mentioned, point out, in a ftriking 



power of fafcl- view, the attachment of the mother-bird to her offspring. 



nrnon afcribed gi^g Qpfg^ guards her neft with the grealeft attention, fearful 



of (he infidiousglide of the ferpenl. She endeavours to prevent 



the deftruftion of her eggs or }oung, by this enemy. When 



he has fucceeded in obtaining tliem, flie attacks him either 



alone, or calls other birds to her afliftance. We ought not to 



be furprifed, that fometimes (lie falls a vidlim to her afFedion. 



For it is a well known fa6l, that forae fpecies of birds will 



fuffer themfelves to be taken upon their nefts, rather than 



relinquifli their young, or their eggs. 



In the fludy of natural hiflory, I am always happy to dif- 

 cover new inftances of the wifdom of providence, and new 

 proofs of the flrong afTedions of animals. And for the dif- 

 covery of fuch infiances of wifdom, and fuch proofs of affec- 

 tion, the contemplation of nature is an ample field. In the 

 infiances now before us, the ftrength of the inflincl of affec- 

 tion in birds is illuflrated, in a flriking point of view; and I 

 cannot help obferving, that I feel an high degree of pleafure 

 in being able to do away, in fome raeafure at leaft, a pre- 

 judice, not lefs extenfive than it is unfounded, by bearing 

 my flender teflimony in favour of the exiflence and the 

 powerful dominion of a benevolent principle in animals. 



The following fad was communicated to me, fome time 

 fince, by our prefident, Mr. Rittenhoufe. I think it firikingly 

 illuflrates and confirms the fyftem which I have been endea- 

 vouring to eflablifh. I relate it, therefore, with pleafure, 

 and the more fo, as I have no doubt, that the authority of a 

 cautious and enlightened philofopher will greatly contribute to 

 the deftru61ion of a fuperflitious notion which difgraces the 

 page of natural hiflory. 



Some years fince, this ingenious gentleman was induced tb 

 fuppofe, from the peculiar melancholy cry of a red-winged- 

 inaize-thief*, that a fiiake was at no great diflance from it, 

 and that the bird was in diflrefs. He threw a ftone at the 

 place from which tlie cry proceeded, which had the effedl of 

 driving the bird away. The poor animal, however, im- 



* Commonly called, in Pennfylvania, the Swamp-Black-bird, 

 It is the Oriolus phceniceus of Linnaeus, 



mediatel/ 



