COURTS OF JUSTICE 143 



The flamingos are famed for their court trials. The 

 Rev. G. Gogerly relates this stoiy: "The flamingo 

 is common in the low, marshy lands of Bengal. My 

 friend, Mr. Lacroix, the well-known missionary, 

 when once sailing in his boat up the Hoogly, went 

 on shore. His attention was shortly directed to a 

 large gathering of these peculiar-looking birds in 

 a field some distance off. Knowing their timid 

 character, he approached as near as he could with- 

 out being observed or exciting alarm; and, hiding 

 himself behind a tree, noticed all their proceedings, 

 which were of a most remarkable character. After 

 a great deal of noisy clamour, they formed them- 

 selves into a circle, in the centre of which one of 

 their number was left standing alone. Again there 

 was a considerable amount of screeching oratory, 

 when suddenly all the birds flew on the unhappy, 

 solitary one and literally tore him to pieces." Mr. 

 Lacroix came to the conclusion that one of the birds 

 had committed a terrible offence against the laws 

 of the bird colony, that he had been tried and found 

 guilty, that the sentence of death had been pro- 

 nounced upon him, and that his execution had taken 

 place immediately. 



Sparrows also make judicial inquiry into the ac- 

 tions of their fellows. They are, however, less for- 



