4-12 The Descent of Man. Part II 



have heard of numerous instances with jays, partridges, canaries, 

 and especially bullfinclies. Mr. Hussey has described in how 

 extraordinary a manner a tamed partridge recognised everybody ; 

 and its likes and dislikes were very strong. This bird seemed 

 " fond of gay colours, 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 thoir attempts 

 to escape ; but they knew Mr. Hewitt's own dogs and oats so well, 

 that they would he down and bask in the sun close to them. 

 They always moved away from a strange man, and so they 

 would from the lady who attended them, if she made any great 

 change in her dress. Audubon relates that he reared and tamed 

 a wild turkey which always ran away from any strange dog; 

 this bird escaped into the woods, and some days afterwards 

 Audubon saw, as he thought, a wild turkey, and made his dog 

 chase it ; but to his astonishment, the bird did not run away, 

 and the dog, when he came up, did not attack the bird, for they 

 mutually recognised each other as old friends." 



Mr. Jenner Weir is convinced that birds pay particular atten- 

 tion to the colours of other birds, sometimes out of jealousy, and 

 sometimes as a sign of kinship. Thus he turned a reed-bunting 

 {Embtriza schanicutus), which had acquired its black head-dress, 

 into his aviary, and the new-comer was not noticed by any bird, 

 except by a bullfinch, which is likewise black-headed. This 

 bullfinch was a very quiet bird, and had never before quarrelled 

 with any of its comrades, including another reed-bunting, which 

 had not as yet become black-headed : but the reed-bunting with 

 a black head was so unmercifully treated, that it had to be 

 removed Spim cyanea, during the breeding-season, is of a bright 

 blue colour; and though generally peaceable, it attacked S. cirix, 

 which has only the head blue, and completely scalped the 

 unfortunate bird. Mr. Weir was also obliged to turn out a 

 robin, as it fiercely attacked all the birds in his aviary with any 

 red in their plumage, but no other kinds ; it actually killed a 

 red-breasted crossbill, and nearly killed a goldfinch. On the 

 otlier hand, he has observed that some birds, when first intro- 

 duced, fly towards the species which resemble them most in 

 colour, and settle by their sides. 



As male birds display their fine plumage and other omamer.ts 



" 'The Zoologist,' 1847-1848, p. p. 39. Audubon on the wild turkey, 



1602. 'Ornith. Biography,' vol. i. p. 14 



" Hewitt, on wild ducts, 'Journal On the mocking-thrush, ibid. vol. > 



of Horticulture,' Jxu. 13, 1863, p. 110. 



