404 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:9— Dec., 1920 



Seed-eaters are another important group. Their feet are 

 fitted usually for walking and perching, their bills conical for 

 cracking seeds of many sorts. The crossbill's beak is further 

 modified for picking out the seeds of pine-cones. 



Flesh eating birds serve a great function as scavengers, and 

 while not as beautiful nor as pleasing to our senses as most of the 

 others, have an important function to fulfill. Nevertheless many 

 are not scavengers, but pursue living prey. The feet of birds of 

 prey are terrible grasping talons from whose iron clutch nothing 

 can escape; their beaks, terrible instruments for rending and tear- 

 ing flesh. In the true scavengers, the talons are not needed, nor 

 are the birds able to lift any appreciable weight in their claws. 

 While we do not like to think of the cruelty of the birds of prey, 

 they perform for man a never-estimated service in killing rodents 

 which would otherwise become uncontrollable pests. 



Since we have brieffy considered the adaptations of bodily form 

 for seeking a livelihood in the world, let us see how much intelli- 

 gence a bird has to aid it in the struggle for existence. The cere- 

 brum is larger than that of a reptile. The brain is smooth, with 

 no convolutions. By some, this is taken to mean lack of intelli- 

 gence ; but compare the intelligence of a bird with that of a walrus, 

 which has a convoluted brain, and see if there is any question in 

 your mind as to which is best able to adapt itself to changing 

 environment. From various investigations and experiments, it 

 seems that birds do not possess a reasoning power, as psychologists 

 would define such a term, but they do exhibit a truly surprising 

 power of memory implying association of experiences, — while 

 in their hearing, sight and probable sense of direction, they are 

 incomparably our superiors. "In my judgment," says Chapman 

 it is to the keenness of these powers rather than any alleged gift 

 of reason that the bird owes its success in life." 



