COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 
289 
survives the death of its companion, even when supplied 
with a fresh and suitable mate. No other creature can 
compare with it in this respect; such fidelity is sublime. 
As a general rule, it may be asserted that the male feels 
the loss of its companion far more than does the female, 
though it would, perhaps, be unjust to accuse the latter 
of want of affection. This is probably owing to the ease 
with which the male bird can be replaced. The female 
has no time to mourn, for she is immediately surrounded 
with fresh suitors for her favour. If one kills the male 
of a pair of rare birds, the widow shows the keenest 
concern; yet, for all that, she usually bears up against 
her misfortune with no less composure than do members 
of the fair sex among ourselves under similar circumstances. 
With birds, as with the ladies, it is rare that a widow 
does not seek a fresh partner. The bird is, however, 
usually more successful than the lady. We may quote the 
one single exception to the above rule, which has come 
under our notice, namely, a bereaved hen Sparrow, who, 
though she had eggs to hatch and young to rear, would 
not take unto herself a second husband, but remained a 
widow, feeding her hungry tribe of nestlings with the 
greatest assiduity and quite unaided. The following anec¬ 
dote is, however, a rather rude “ pendant” to the former, 
and must be related, for fear our readers may be too 
much affected by the self-sacrifice of the widow above 
mentioned. 
In Gebesee, a village not very far from Erfurt, the top 
of the manor house has for centuries boasted of a Stork’s 
nest. For many years this was occupied by a pair of 
Storks, which were continually disturbed by various 
intruders, possibly also by their own children, who prema¬ 
turely sought to obtain possession of the family residence. 
