154 
BIRD-LIFE. 
noon, or in the cooler hours of eventide ; but the hues of 
the rosy dawn, and the tints of glowing eve, are mirrored 
in the minstrel’s breast; and thus its song rings out in 
tones so clear and well sustained. What wealth of 
feeling is expressed by song, I need not attempt to tell 
my readers. 
But, besides song, we have other tokens to prove that 
birds are richly endowed with a kindly disposition: their 
love to their young, and affection for their mates ; their 
pity for the weaker of their class or species; and their 
gratitude for benefits received. Of these several traits, 
I will relate a few of the many anecdotes which have 
been collected. 
I shall have to speak of their love for, and fidelity to, 
their mates, further on; but here give only a cursory 
glance on the subject. “ German poets,” says Schomberg, 
“ not aware of the tender love existing between a pair of 
Love Birds, have chosen Doves as the type of pastoral 
love; but how far does the tenderness of these fall short 
of the love shown by the former ! In them we find the most 
perfect unity of purpose and harmony of action combined : 
if one eats, the other eats also ; if one bathes, the other 
accompanies it; if the male cries, forthwith the female 
chimes in; is one ill, the other feeds it. No matter how 
many of these little birds may be assembled on a tree, 
each one keeps with its mate; and they never separate.” 
It is a well-known fact that these lovely creatures rarely 
survive the death of their companion. They pine away 
visibly when cruel fate dissolves the marriage bond; 
rarely touch food again; scarce utter a sound; or, if they 
do, its tone is most piteous ; and in a few days they follow 
the loved one gone before. The same thing has been 
often remarked amongst all gregarious birds, and some- 
