The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
oUlcK-W!TTEp BIRDS.
A SCOTCH Naturalist watches Them Open
Shell-Fish.

A SCOTCH Naturalist watches Them Open
Shell-Fish.
In studying the habits of birds, one
can not but be struck with the fact that,
In prop rti II to their many dangers ex-
perienc,s and pleasures, they become
wapm-hearted, quick-witted, bold or
timid, ferocious or cunning, passionate
as the falcon or deliberate as the rook,
according to the life they have to lead.
And, moro thaa this, we find that they
display in many ways remarkably
high degree of intelligence.
The water hen, for instance-which is
found from Siberia to the Cape-has a
kind of human facility, as Mr.. Ruskin
observes, in adapting itself to climate,
as we'll as almost human domesticity OF
temper, with curious tineness OF sagac-
ity and sympathies in taste. family
of them, much petted by lady, were
constantly adding materials to their
nests, and made real havoc in the flower
gardens; for, though straw and leaves
are their chief ingredients, they seem
to have an eye for beauty, and the old
hen has been seen surrounded with
brilliant wreath of scarlet anemones!
This aesthetic water hen, with her
mate, lived at Cheadle, in Staffordshtre,
in the rectory moat, for several seasons,
always, however, leaving 1t in the
spring. Being constantly fed, the pair
became quite tame, built their nest in
thorn bush covered with ivy, which had
fallen into the water and, when the
young wcre fow days old the parents
brought them up close to the drawing
room window, where they were regu-
larly fed with wheat. And, as the lady
of the house paid them the greatest at
tention, they learned to look upon her
as their natural protectress and friend,
so much so that one bird in particular,
which was much prosecuted by the rest,
would, when attacked, fly to her Tor
refuge; and, whenever she called, the
whole flock, as tame as barn door fowls,
quilted the water and assembled round,
to the number of seventeen. They also
made other friends in the dogs belong
ing to the family, approaching them
without fear. though hurrying off with
great alarm on the appearance of q
strange dog.
Frank Buchland gives several curious
instances OF the special habits OF some
birds in procuring their food. The
blackbirds, thrushes, ETC., carry snails
considerable distances for the purpose OF
breaking their shells against some rock
or stone. Thomas Edward, the Scottish
naturalist, describes gulls and ravens
flying to great height with crab or
other shell-fsh, and letting them fall on
stones in order to smash the shells; and,
II they do not break on the first attempt,
tn1r n
carry them up yet higher, repeating the
operation again and again till the shell
Is broken. Ravens often resort to this
contrivapcc Darwin tells of bird hav.
ing been repeatedly seen to hop on
poppy stem, and shake the head with
his bill till many seeds were scattered,
when 1t sprang to the ground and ate up
the seeds.
Some birds are gifted with sense oi
observation approaching to some thing
very like reasoning faculties, as the fol'
lowing anecdote proves: AT a gentle
mans house in Stafordshire, the pheas.
ants are fed out of one OF those boxes,
the lid of which rises with the pres
sure OF tho pheasant standing on
the rail in front Of the box. water
hen, observing this, wentand stood upon
the rail as soon as the pheasant had
quilted 1t; but the weight OF the bird
being insufficient to raise the lid of the
box, 30 as to enable it to get at the corn,
tho water hen kept jumping on the rail
TO give additional impetus to its weight
This partially succeed, but not to the
satisfaction Of the sagacious bird which,
therefore vent OFF; and, soon returp'H-,
with bird OF its own species, he anited
weight of the two had the desired effect,
and the successful pair enjoyed the bon
e8t ef their ingenuity. Month,