S12 
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 
ferred from the fact of their pining for absent mates, parrots 
calling for absent friends, &c. The same fact is further 
proved by birds dreaming, a faculty which has been noticed 
by Cuvier, Jerdon, Thompson, Bennet, Houzeau, Bechstein, 
Lindsay, and Darwin . 1 
The facility with which birds lend themselves to the 
education of the show-man is certain evidence of consider- 
able docility, or the power of forming novel associations 
of ideas. Thus, according to Bingley, — 
Some years ago the Sieur Roman exhibited in this country 
the wonderful performances of his birds. These were gold- 
finches, linnets, and canary birds. One appeared dead, and was 
held up by the tail or claw without exhibiting any signs of life. 
A second stood on its head, with its claws in the air, &c., &c . 2 
And many years ago there was exhibited a very puzzling 
automaton, which, although of very small size and quite 
isolated from any possibly mechanical connection with its 
designer, performed certain movements in any order that 
the fancy of the observers might dictate. The explana- 
tion turned out to be that within the mechanism of the 
figure there was a canary bird which had been taught to 
run in different directions at different w T ords or tones of 
command, so by its weight starting the mechanism to 
perform the particular movement required. 
The rapidity with which birds learn not to fly against 
newly erected telegraph wires, displays a large amount of 
observation and intelligence. The fact has been repeatedly 
observed. For instance, Mr. Holden says : — 
About twelve years ago I was residing on the coast of 
county Antrim, at the time the telegraph wires were set up along 
that charming road which skirts the sea between Larne and 
Cushendall. During the winter months large flocks of starlings 
always migrated over from Scotland, arriving in the early morn- 
ing. The first winter after the wires were stretched along the 
coast I frequently found numbers of starlings lying dead or 
wounded on the road-side, they having evidently in their flight 
in the dusky morn struck against the telegraph wires, not 
1 See Birds of India, i., p. 21; Passions of Animals, p. 60; Fae. Men. 
ies Ani ., tom. ii., p. 183 ; Mind in Lower Animals , vol. ii., p. 96; and 
Descent of Man, p. 74. 
2 Animal Ldiograj.diy, vol. ii., p. 173. 
