406 THE DESCENT OF MAN. 



months, yet, as I hear from Mr. Harrison Weir, if a pair which 

 naturally would remain mated for life he separated for a few 

 weeks during the winter, and afterwards matched with other 

 birds, the two, when brought together again, rarely, if ever, rec- 

 ognize each other. 



Birds sometimes exhibit benevolent feelings; they will feed the 

 deserted young ones even of distinct species, but this perhaps 

 ought to be considered as a mistaken instinct. They will feed, 

 as shown in an earlier part of this work, adult birds of their own 

 species which have become blind. Mr. Buxton gives a curious 

 account of a parrot which took care of a frost-bitten and crippled 

 bird of a distinct species, cleansed her feathers, and defended her 

 from the attacks of the other parrots which roamed freely about 

 his garden. It is a still more curious fact that these birds ap- 

 parently evince some sympathy for the pleasures of their fellows. 

 When a pair of cockatoos made a nest in an acacia tree, "it was 

 "ridiculous to see the extravagant Interest taken in the matter by 

 "the others of the same species." These parrots, also evinced un- 

 bounded curiosity, and clearly had "the idea of property and pos- 

 "session."^^ They have good memories, for in the Zoological 

 Gardens they have plainly recognized their former masters after 

 an interval of some months. 



Birds possess acute powers of observation. Every mated bird, 

 of course, recognizes its fellow. Audubon states that a certain 

 number of mocking-thrushes (Mimus polyglottus) remain all the 

 year round in Louisiana, whilst others migrate to the Eastern 

 States; these latter, on their return, are instantly recognized, and 

 always attacked, by their southern brethren. Birds under con- 

 finement distinguish different persons, as is proved by the strong 

 and permanent antipathy or affection which they show, without 

 any apparent cause, towards certain individuals. I have heard 

 of numerous instances with jays, partridges, canaries, and es- 

 pecially bullfinches. Mr. Hussey has described in how extraor- 

 dinary a manner a tamed partridge recognized everybody; and its 

 likes and dislikes were very strong. This bird seemed "fond of 

 "gay colors, and no new gown or cap could be put on without 

 "catching his attention."" Mr. Hewitt has described the habits 

 of some ducks (recently descended from wild birds), which, at the 

 approach of a strange dog or cat, would rush headlong into the 

 water, and exhaust themselves in their attempts to escape; but 

 they knew Mr. Hewitt's own dogs and cats so well, that they 

 would lie down and bask in the sun close to them. They always 

 moved away from a strange man, and so they would from the 



" 'Acclimatization of Parrots,' by C. Buxton, M. P. 'Annals and 

 Mag. of Nat. Hist.' Nov. 1868, p. 381. 

 ^ 'The ZoolOijist,' 1847-1848, p. 1602. 



