'"ip. 
XIV. 
TASTE FOE TflE BEAUTIFUL. 
Ill 
^W°*' mid sometimes as a sign of kinship. 
S . * le turned a reed-bunting ( Emberiza solioeniculus), 
a Ui |' 1 ^ad acquired its black head, into his aviary, 
k. , ttle new-comer was not noticed by any bird, except 
bnii*!. ^"Utinch, which is likewise black-headed. This 
lUfii l,lf ' w as a very quiet bird, and had never before 
te e'd ',! U0d with al >y o1 ' its comrades, including another 
}, r ., ( ' M|| '1ing, which had not as yet become black- 
a 0 * : but the reed-bunting with a black head was 
\j r ^ercifully treated, that it had to be removed. 
V;, eir Was also obliged to turn out a robin, as it 
tn an . e " V attacked all birds with any red in their plu- 
bj^ P ’ but no other kinds; it actually killed a red- 
tb e 8 ' :( * c|, ossbill, and nearly killed a goldfinch. On 
first °- Ire has observed that some birds, when 
H i(: , mtro <lnced into his aviary, fly towards the species 
tli, ■ 1 .’Kemble them most in colour, and settle by 
* sides. 
pl Uu r birds display with so much (tare their fine 
ib^/md other ornaments in the presence of the 
tfi,. p °' S ’ ^ is obviously probable that these appreciate 
ob tain ai % of their suitors. It is, however, difficult to 
^' rect evidence of their capacity to appreciate 
Sfiisa / ^ben birds gaze at themselves in a looking- 
° w bich many instances have been recorded) we 
ft - J el sure that it is not from jealousy at a sup- 
though this is not the conclusion of some 
W V6rs - In other cases it is difficult to distinguish 
the 
een 
fo 
ps 
mere curiosity and admiration. It is perhaj 
^tiact tflei ' which, as stated by Lord Lilford, 14 
s ° th f . bluff strongly towards any bright object, 
“ bri,|i ’ the Ionian Islands, it “will dart down to a 
glit-, 
coloured handkerchief, regardless of repeated 
14 Tlie 1 Ibis,’ vol. ii. 1860, p. 344. 
