218 
THE GOLDFINCH. 
the lid of the box, after which, by putting its foot on the 
lever, it could feed at leisure. He had also a Eedpole, chained 
on a nearly similar perch ; this bird fed from an open box 
without the trouble of having recourse to the lifting power, 
like his neighbour, the Goldfinch. But though the Eedpole 
could have known nothing of the use of the handle from his 
own experience, as his food was to be got at without such 
trouble, yet it seems he must have taken notice of it, and 
seen that by touching this handle he could get at the Gold- 
finch’s food, were he within reach ; and this he kept in mind 
for the day of need ; for one morning when loose, and his 
own seed-box empty, he flew at once to the perch of *his 
friend, raised the lid of the seed-box with his bill, and then 
laying hold of it with one foot, kept it open till he had made 
a good breakfast. This apparently trifling circumstance 
clearly shows that birds can and do take notice of some things, 
and collect information which may be useful when needed. In 
this case it required some time and attention to teach the 
Goldfinch the use of the handle for holding up the lid of 
the box ; but the Eedpole had watched the operation, and 
learned by observation how to do it as well as his friend.^ 
The following is another instance of sagacity in a pair of 
Goldfinches. These little birds had built their nest on a 
small branch of an olive-tree ; after hatching their brood, the 
parents perceived 
that the weight of 
the growing family 
would soon be too 
great for the 
strength of the 
branch which sup- 
ported the nest ; 
in fact, it was be- 
ginning to give 
way. Something 
was to be done, or 
the nest w ould fall, 
— this was evident 
;! 
* Phren. Journal, No. 84, p. 72. 
