The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-09-28

| which ne relapseS lnCO MS Olu ways,
seeking the water dish where it used
to stand, inspecting the old nesting
site, and manifesting delight to get
back, by song and movements, easy
of Interpretation by lover and close
watcher of birds.
Our feathered friends are strong
in attachment to people as we'll as to
places. A blue jay belonging to a
correspondent was so fond of his hui
man friends, especially his mistress,
that he could not be induced to leave
them, and when-thinking to do him
kindness-he was set free, he re-
fused to go. Several times he was
placed on a tree and left, in the ex-
pectation that he would embrace his
liberty with Joy, as birds are tabled
to do. But this bird, contrary to the
traditions, when the novelty of wan
dering about was over, would come
near the house and scream, till his
beloved friend appeared, and then
fly at once to her shoulder, with low
tender greeting, and rub his head
lovingly against her cheek. Could
world words have expressed his senti-
ments more clearly? He had no
more desire to leave her than has a
well treated dog or cat.
Several cases 1 have known, where
a tanned, and cherished, and we'll
treated bird, refused to abandon his
friends. Among others, an English
lady, before spoken of, confined by
delicate health to her country place,
has for years been in the habit of
catching and rearing nestlings, and
when grown giving them their free
dom, Invariably these birds remain
on the premises, nesting, and living
outside in pleasant weather, but free
ly returning to the house whenever
they chose.
The affection of domesticated birds
for people is indeed often painful to
see, because it becomes almost the
very life of the bird, while slightly
regarded by the person. Death from
harsh word is not unknown, and
death because of separation from the
loved friend is common, more COM
mon perhaps, than is recognized; for
there is with most people strange
want of appreciation of the intelli-
gence and individuality of birds. A
canary they consider usually as mere
ly an ornamental appendage to their
home, to be summarily shut up if his
singing is untimely, and very rarely
to be recognized as an individual,
with tastes and desires, likes and dis
likes like their own. A parrot usu-
ally contrives to make his individual
ity appreciated, but the hooking bird
and other Gagged birds are seldom
treated with the attention they de-
serve and crave. They are not rec
ognized as fellow creatures, pining
for love and society, suffering from
loneliness and Indifference, like other
prisoners; and in the center of an
animated family life they live really
in solitude, and NOPE and die in con-
sequence, more often than we sus-
pect.
September, as already noted, is the
month of migration; during that and
the following month most of our
birds depart. But there are notable
exceptions. Some of our feathered
neighbors remain with us the year
around, and are as delightful to study
and get acquainted with as any of our
summer friends.
To begin with, there is the crow.
perhaps better worth close study
than any bird in North America, be-
cause he is decided character. Ages
of persecution have sharpened his
wits, till it sometimes seems that he
knows as much as person. Every
one who has really domesticated a
crow, and overcome his natural dread
and fear of the human race, has en-
Enthusiastically testified to his wonder
full intelligence, his warm affections,
his sense of humor, and love of fun.
His vocabulary is copious and varied
and doubtless quite as we'll worth
studying as that of the monkeys to
which Mr.. GARNER has given so much
attention.
Then there are always with us
some of the owls, fully dererving
their name-birds of wisdom-not
only because of their solemn and wise
looks and manners, but for their in
telligence, which has been discovered
by domestication and observation at
close range.
The flicker, or golden winged wood
pecker, is another who casts in his lot
with ours during the winter, reserved