The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-07
TALES TOLD OF BIRDS.
HIGH DEGREE OF INTELLIGENCE
AND PHYSICAL POWERS.

Recrcations That Show Cunning ard Ee-
observation-disclosures of the YopFig-Per-
petual RsJuvenesccnce-Poser OF Vi
on--Rapidity of Flight.
The intelligence of bir:,s must DO rated
very high They oftSi take precautions
that show reflection a.,d cunning, as when
crows set sentinels III high places before tn,
tloot swoops dowy upon a corn field. / have
even hearI thas' in some places crows havs
learned to C ..nt to the mum er Of four and
ivo-as raany as some savages has been
able to youut-s that no ambush can bs
lai fivn which to shoot at them unless
NOR men go into it than they can count,
aud then IL many leave it as they are abls
to number, so that tho poor creatures erron-
eously infer that none arc left
Parrots and other TALKING birds often
show astonishing intelligence, or perhaps IL
is only astonishing because W. do not
enough assume the intelligence In these won
derful creatures Evidently their words
are not mere meaningless sounds. but
vocabulary, though small one. A frien
assures me that an intelligent parrot whicii
is pet in her family understands the
oroers addressed to it, and words Of re-
proach or praise as perfectly a3 the moro
intelligent dog, or as any human being, in
deed, within its limits; and that the bird
knows tho names OF every member or tho
family and will inquire after one who 10 ab-
sent for short time, with every sign OF in
terest AMI even wish for tho abscatco's re-
turn.
MENTAL AS WELL AS HEART POWER
In detenling Their young birds show as
much meltal power as heart power; ~
when tho female Of the partridge, the grouss
and other birds which ne i on the groan
iiuttsr along as IL lame or wounded, littls
in advance Of the hnnter, as q decoy, but
e.udes every effort to seize her until she has
enticed her enemy far enough from her
young, who meantime have concealed them
selves; then she shoots into the air and TO
turns to her brood by circuitous ronte.
Kites, crows anl other birds have been oh.
served to drop food into their nests from q
height overhead which they could not
safely approach In domestic emergencies
birds show, also, great daring. Sometimes,
indeed, courage, and even boldness, seems
to lie prevailing trait. often with tina
F., smallest and most delicate Of birds Hum
ming birds, with "rugiied feathers and fiery
eyes, will attack even men whe approach
too near their nests, and will rush at any
bird, however large, who comes too close.
Birds are cheerful joyful, and even gay
creatures. There are some exceptions Most
birds are soclable, living in iiocks or compa-
MES, aud these are the bright and cheerful
kinds. Usually the sad or rious are given
TO solitude, tut solitary birds living IN pairs
alone are not common. Birls have very
short childhood and proportionrtely long
youth ami often very long life Some
times, as with eAglas, they gradually i'm
prove for many years, before they
reach the perfection Of their pa
rents, after which they will complete
n century Of life. But however aged q
bird, in manner it renews its youth every
year by molting- This Is a perpetual re,u.
veno;ce in ap ,earlnce SO that to the last
year of life no old age obtrudes in the plu-
mage Of bird in health, no wrinkles ami
| loss Of complexion, as it were, for the glossy
garment Is made every year as fresh a.
new.
THEIR POWERS or SIGHT AND FLIGHT
Among the privileges OF birds must b.
ranged their extraordinary sight "Ths
kite, which scars TO SO amazing height az
to totally vanish from our sight, can yet
distinguish small lizards, field mice and
birds, and from his lofty station he selects
his prey" The quick variations Of the
bird $ eye are as remarkable as its far, keen
vision. For the bird will fly like lightning
through thick copses OF interlacing boughs,
which it could not do without being torn
70 pieces IL its eyes varied for distances an
suggishly as our OWE. Hearing also
seems to be very acute Slight noises alarm
birds, and they will answer quickly to
notes Of rival birds, when the singer is out
of their sight and beyond our hearing.
Birds sleep very lightly; faint vibration
will arouse them They dream, as may be
observed Of birds In cages. Their perfect
balance of themselves while asleep, often Oh
one leg maintained by constant and slight
motions like little fallings and recoverings,
is wonderful Those that sleep on the water
never drift ashore, which shows, perhapa,
that they move their feet unconsciously Just
enough to counteract wind or current
All these are natures plans for q magical
| power OF motion surprising imagination
What speed, too A swallJw will fly mile
q minuCe for ten hours--slx hundred miles
in a day. Some birds actually live ON the
| wing, eating, drinking, catching material;
never resting but in darkness The prodigious
| rapidity of some birds falling fight de6es
J our power to conceive the sensation The o.
prey" says Wilson, from sublime aerial
| heights descends like perpendicular tor
rent, plunges into the ssa with loud, rush
ing sound, and with the certainty OF rihe;o
and again he says; "The white. headed
eagle, when 1t has made a hawk drop fish,
posing himself for a moment as il to take q
more certain aim, descends nike q whirlwinf
and snatches tho fish In its grasp ere IL
reaches the water" Birds are equally at
home in tho water. Witness the petrels,
that seem actually to run about ths waves.
"They arc the sous OF those buried at sea, =
the sailor says; and, indeed" says BrahnlI
they look like spirits to every one else, 80
ghost like are their movements across thu
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