BEASON. 
121 
opportunities of observing in our common birds of passage. 
The Stork, the Swallow, and the Starling conduct them¬ 
selves with such perspicuity on their arrival with us, that 
we can have no doubt that they return to their old habi¬ 
tations with perfect consciousness of the same, and greet 
old friends with pleasure. Tame birds give still stronger 
proofs of memory: they cherish the feelings of love and 
hate most heartily. I shall return to this subject at a 
future time; but will, however, relate one curious fact on 
the authority of Lentz. This excellent enquirer possessed 
a Cock, which had quarrelled with one of the Hens in 
the yard, a perpetual state of feud existing between the 
parties; matters became so bad at last, that the person 
in charge of the poultry was obliged to get rid of him: 
“ I gave the Cock away to the watchman of the village,” 
says he, “in exchange for another one. Only two years 
and a half after, I had the misfortune to lose this bird, 
so I sent to the watchman and bought my old friend 
back again. No sooner replaced in his old quarters than, 
casting a glance of complacency on all around, he flaps 
his wings, and, after a good crow, greets his old compa¬ 
nions with the greatest pleasure; when suddenly his 
attention is attracted to the particular Hen who was the 
direct cause of his previous dismissal from the court. 
His glance became at once serious; darkened ; and, at 
last, menacing. The poor Hen looked timidly up. In 
short, after a few minutes, the old business began afresh, 
just as it used to be two years and a half ago; and I was 
once more obliged to seize my quarrelsome friend, and 
send him into exile again.” 
I could easily add to these anecdotes many other 
examples; for the conduct of most birds is the result of 
experience remembered and utilised. The Peregrine 
