CAN AND DO BIRDS REASON? 329 



design, it is clear that birds often profit by experience, and 

 learn to use special means when special ends have to be provided 

 for." 



In any newly settled country or colony, where environments 

 are constantly changing, there is a wider scope for observations 

 on the intelligence of birds than in any highly and long culti- 

 vated area. 



Dealing first with nest-building and some of its phases, it has 

 been somewhere remarked that each species (of birds) has built 

 on the same uniform plan from time immemorial. To this it 

 may be answered — Yes, quite so, provided the environment 

 remain unchanged. 



The Golden Oriole, in its haunts undisturbed by man and 

 his inventions, constructs a nest of long fibrous vegetable material 

 flexible and strong enough for its purpose ; but in localities 

 where man's industry abounds, it borrows such materials as 

 are best suited for its purpose, ignoring those nature has sup- 

 plied. There is no alteration in the design of the nest, but 

 simply the materials have been changed. This would seem to 

 indicate that some degree of reasoning has been employed. The 

 question arises, how was it that "foreign" material first came 

 to be used ? Was it curiosity that impelled the first Golden 

 Oriole to try the strange substances, and, upon finding them so 

 suitable, to communicate the fact to its fellows ? I repudiate 

 the idea that it was all a matter of " chance." Here in Tasmania 

 there are at least sixteen species of birds that use " foreign " 

 substances in the construction of their nests. Wool, cowhair, 

 and horsehair are the commonest materials. Naturally there 

 arises the question, what did these birds use prior to the advent 

 of sheep, cattle, and horses, and what caused them to take to 

 wool, cow-, and horsehair ? Take one species, for example, the 

 Yellow-rumped Tit (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa), whose bulky and 

 globular nest is often almost entirely composed of wool, while to 

 my knowledge one is never found that does not largely consist of 

 this substance ; and yet it is not really so long ago since domestic 

 animals were first introduced into this island. The Lesser White- 

 backed Magpie {Gymnorhina hyperleuca) constructs its nests of 

 sticks, but sticks become scarce in well-tilled agricultural dis- 

 tricts. The first reaper and binders introduced into Tasmania 



