DISPOSITION. 
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times, also, in others. We even know an example, where 
a female Owl pined to death after the demise of her mate 
and companion of many seasons. Clinging affection, like 
this, is a beautiful picture of life-long attachment. Here, 
at least, we find no trace of selfishness; the one finds its 
happiness only where the other takes its part; each lives 
for the other. 
No less noble is a bird’s love for its young; no mother 
could be more tender or devoted to her children. To 
think that this child of light, whose very life is light, 
will bury itself for weeks together away from that light, 
in order to brood o’er its young! Love engenders that 
mystic influence which awakens life in the sleeping 
germ; love teaches to forget all, to forego anything and 
everything, so as to accomplish this noble task. We 
once killed a Magpie that was breeding in our garden. 
We had shot at her several days before, and as we 
thought without effect, but it was not so; the charge 
had penetrated the dense mass of nest, and had lodged 
deep in the mother’s breast: the blood streaming from 
the wound by no means chilled the maternal love ; she, 
though mortally wounded, had forgotten both herself and 
her pain in her love for her nestlings. 
Such sublime affection is not always confined to their 
own offspring alone; comprehensive, it extends and 
embraces others of even a different species. Nay, she 
vouchsafes her love to little strangers when her pity is 
excited. The stronger support, guide, and nourish the 
weak, while the healthy take care of the sick; the elder 
brothers and sisters help to bring up the younger. Some 
species are left in their childhood to the care of utter 
strangers, — a care which is readily accorded them. Out 
of many instances observed I will only narrate one or two 
