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BIRD-LIFE. 
former even allowed the anxious foster-mother to get on 
her back and thus hazard a voyage on an element fraught 
with perils to herself, in order that she might be near the 
children of her adoption. 
All the above anecdotes refer only to the care exercised 
towards young birds by their elders, and bear no reference 
whatever to the watching and assistance rendered by full- 
grown birds to one another in times of sickness and distress. 
I can, however, furnish proofs of the latter. Every sports¬ 
man is well aware that a covey of Partridges will return to 
their wounded companions, and regulate their movements 
so as to suit the pace of their less fortunate friends. Eooks 
immediately come to the relief of the sick and wounded 
of their own species; an Alpine Crow, whose wing I 
had broken by a shot, was fed by its relations. The male 
of a migrating pair remained behind to tend its sick 
partner, in spite of the coldness of the climate. Nay, 
more, pity will even subdue enmity. A zealous bird- 
fancier, who lived in our village, possessed two male 
Eobins which were excessively jealous, and constantly 
passed their time in pecking and fighting each other. 
During one of their chases round the room, one had the 
misfortune to break a leg; the conduct of the other 
changed immediately; he put all enmity aside, approached 
the sufferer in the most kindly manner possible, hopped 
around it all the time uttering cries of pity, and finally 
ended by bringing it food, even his tit-bits, meal-worms, 
etc., which he would no longer keep for himself, but 
brought them all to his sick comrade : the latter accepted 
this care and allowed itself to be tended by its former 
rival. It recovered perfectly, and gratitude took such 
deep root in its heart that it was never known again to 
quarrel with its benefactor. 
