Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-22
INTELLIGENCE OF BIRDS.

INTELLIGENCE OF BIRDS.
Reason and Ingenuity Displayed by swal-
lows-Adopting Special Means to Accom-
pIish Particular Ends.
What tiny little bird the swallow is!
How impossible it seems that so tiny a
creature should possess the gift of in
telligence! Mr.. Ernest Menault, in his
book on Intelligence of Animals, y
tells the following stories about swaI-
lows, that prove that these little birds
can give us lessons in helpfulness, as
we'll as to increase our respect for the
little creatures that we sometimes abuse
in spirit of selfish fun, or because we
think them too small to have any feel
ing:
Numerous, indeed, are the cases in
which swallows show sympathy for
the welfare of their race. A nest, con-
tanning young, had been beaten down
by long-continued rains, and the brood
was thus exposed to the pelting storm.
Some members of the family innabiting
the house threw cloth covering over
the ruined nest, and thus, saved the
newly-tledged birds from perishing.
But now loud outcries arose from the
parents, and from other swallows which
instantly focked to the place. When
the storm had passed the covering was
removed, and then an extraordinary
scene was witnessed. The old birds
fed the young, and Immediately all the
assembled swallows set to work in rails
ing an arched earthwork over the nest
ings, and thus effectually protected the
young family. What could a colony of
human settlers have done more for
neighbor whose house had been de-
stroyed? No theory of mere instinct
will explain such a proceeding. The
emergency was sudden, the remedy
novel and the means et1ectual.
something like reason is seen in the
following case: An American wren
took possession of martin S nest. from
which the invader could not be expelled.
The martins, however, kept watch over
the intruder, and no sooner did the
wren leave the nest in search for food
than the martins re-entered, and inn
mediately planned scheme for keep
ing out the foe. They made the, en-
trance so much narrower, and SO
blocked up the passage, that it would
be impossible for the wren to get in
while the owners kept at home. The
enemy soon returned, and at first tried
force, but the strength and arrange
ment of the defences baffied her. The
foe now established siege, watching
near tn entrance for two days. But
the martins bravely held out in spite of
hunger, and at last, the patience of the
wren giving way, she left the skillful
defenders of the fortress in peace.
Here, again, we find birds adopting
special means to accomplish a particu-
lar end.
"Mr. Jesse mentions the following as
illustrating the intelligence of the swal-
lows in adapting even the materials of
their nests to special situations. A pair
of these birds built against the wall of
lmekiln chimney. The heat was SO
great as to make the nest crumble to
pieces; a second and even third shar-
ing the same fate. Some scheme of
making or collecting a new kind OF
material, capable of bearing the heat,
must then have been devised, for the
fourth nest stood. For two succeeding
years the nests were built in the same
place, and always endured the heat
Between the fiji st unsuccessful and the
last improved works of the little archl-
tecls, some progress must have been
made in the composition or working up
of the material for the nest. These
swallows were inventors in some way,
as clearly as Wedgwood was in his
pottery improvements.
Another incident, mentioned by the
same gentleman, supports similar con-
clusion A swallow had selected
place for her nest in corner formed by
two walls, but the surface of these be-
ing smooth, the bird could not easily
find any projection on which the foun-
dation of the nest might rest She,
however, managed to fix a bit of clay
on each wall, and then laid piece OF
light wood on the two clay supports.
This gave her good foundation, and
the work was securely finished. Is
builder who overcomes structural
difficulty to be counted clever work
man, while similar triumphs over OBJ
stacles by bird are all explained by
the vague word instinct?
Zone can we'll understand from these
facts the energy, union, subordination
and social spirit employed in common
defense and the general interest
when about to migrate, the swal-
lows assemble at some place apparently
agreed upon beforehand, and. after
long discussion, which occupies whole.
days, they set out in fiocks. 1t is said
that the principal sign which warns
them of the necessity of leaving a
country is the slight elevation of the.
sun in autumn. Birds are. in fact, very
sensitive to light Christian Union.