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Peculiarities and Instinct of Different Animals.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Peculiarities and Instinct of Different Animals.
I cannot conclude these hasty sketches without remarking zliat
few people are aware of the numberless subjects of interest and
observation to be found in the habits and structure of the commonest birds and animals, which pass before our eyes every day
of our lives. How perfectly are all these adapted to their
respective modes of living and feeding. In every garden and
shrubbery the naturalist finds amusement in watching its living
tenants. Look at the chaffinch, how it adapts the colour and
even the shape of its nest to the spot in which it is placed,
covering the outside with materials of the same colour as the bark
of the tree in which it is. So do also all the other small birds.
Again, they line their nests with materials of the same colour as
their eggs. The chaffinch lines it with wool and feathers mixed
together, giving it a background of nearly the same hue as the
shell of the eggs. The greenfinch lines it with light-coloured
feathers, collected from the poultry-yard, as her eggs are nearly
white. The yellowhammer has a greyish egg with stripy marks ;
she lines her nest with horsehair. The robin's eggs being of a
reddish-brown, she makes use of dried grass and similar substances. The prevailing colour of the hedge-sparrow's nest is
green, and her eggs are of a greenish-blue ; and in the same
manner all our common and unregarded birds adapt both the
outside and the lining of their nests to the colour of the surrounding substances and that of their own eggs respectively. In
the same manner they all have bills adapted to the food on which
they live-the grain-feeding birds having short, strong mandibles, while those of the insectivorous birds are longer and more
slender, and as perfectly adapted for searching in crannies and
corners for the insects and eggs that may be hidden there, as the
former are for cutting and shelling the seeds and grain on which
they feed.
Look, too, at the eggs of lapwings and of all those birds that
hatch on the bare ground. Those that lay on fields have their
eggs of a brownish green, while those that lay on the stones and
pebbles have them of a sandy and brown mottled colour, so like
the substances which surround them, that it is most difficult for
the passer by to distinguish the egg from the stone. In the same
manner the young of all birds which live on the ground resemble
the ground itself in colour, thereby eluding many of their
enemies. Look also at the birds whose residence and food arc
placed in the marshes and swamps-the woodcocks and snipes,
for example, who feed by thrusting their bills into the soft mud
for the purpose of picking out the minute red worms and animalcules which abound in it, have the bill peculiarly adapted for
this purpose. The upper mandible has a kind of nob at the end,
which overlaps the under mandible, and not only prevents its
being injured, but makes it quite easy for the bird to pass its bill
both into and out of the ground without obstruction. How
peculiarly well the bill of these birds is adapted for this purpose
is perceived at once by drawing it through the fingers. The end
of the mandible, too, is full of nerves, which enables the bird
to distinguish the soft and minute substances on which it feeds
without seeing them. The oyster-catcher, which feeds on shell
fish and similar food, has a bill with hard, sharp points, with
which it can dig into and break the strong coverings of its prey ;
no tool could be made to answer the purpose better. The curlew's long curved bill is also a perfect implement for worming out
the sea-slugs, which it extracts from the wet sands. The birds
that live chiefly on the insects and water-plants which are found
in swamps and muddy places have their feet of great size and
length, which enables them to walk and run over muddy and
soft places without sinking. The water-hen and water-rail,
indeed, often run along the floating leaves of the water-plants
without bearing them down by their weight. The bald coot,
too, a bird that lives almost wholly in muddy places, has its feet
and toes formed purposely for running on a soft surface. How
different from the strongly retractile talons of the hawk and owl,
made purposely to seize and hold their struggling prey.
Thus also the beak of these carnivorous birds is formed for
tearing and rending, while the strong wedge-shaped mandibles
of the raven and carrion-crow are the best possible implements
for the half-digging, half-cutting work which they are called
upon to perform in devouring the dead carcasses of large animals.
The goosander and merganser, who feed principally on small
eels and fish, have a row of teeth-like projections inside their
bill, which, slanting inwards, admits of the easy entrance of their
slippery prey, but effectually prevents its escape; while the cormorant, whose food consists of larger fish, instead of these
numerous teeth has a strong curved beak, well fitted for holding
the strongest sea-trout or haddock. Put your finger into the
bill of a common duck, and you will see how easily it goes in,
but how difficult it is to draw it out again, in consequence of the
sloping projections, by means of which the bird is enabled to
hold worms and snails. No bill but that of a crossbill could cut
and divide the strong fir-cones from which it extracts its food.
The common woodpecker bores holes with its strongly tipped
wedge-shaped bill in the hard beech-trees, with a precision and
regularity not to be excelled by the best carpenter; while with
its long worm-like tongue it darts upon and catches the small
insects which take refuge in the chinks and crevices of the bark.
The swallows, who catch their insect prey while flying at speed
in the air, are provided with large wide-opening mouths, which
enables them to capture the swiftest flying moth or midge. In
fact, if we take the trouble to examine the manner of feeding and
the structure of the commonest birds, which we pass over without
observation in consequence of their want of rarity, we see that
the Providence that has made them has also adapted each in the
most perfect manner for acquiring with facility the food on
which it is designed to live. The owl, that preys mostly on the
quick-eared mouse, has its wings edged with a kind of downy
fringe, which makes its flight silent and inaudible in the still
evening air. Were its wings formed of the same kind of
plumage as those of most other birds, it is so slow a flier that
the mouse, warned by the rustling of its approach, would escape
long before it could pounce upon it. The heron has also a
quantity of downy plumage about its wings, which are also of a
very concave form, and the bird alights in the calm pool without
making a ripple, and whilst standing motionless, knee-deep in the
water, it is almost invisible in the gloom of evening, owing to
its grey and shadowy colour. So also is the colour of the wild
duck, partridge, and other birds who hatch on the ground, exactly similar in its shade to the dry foliage amongst which they
sit-insomuch so, that even when they are pointed out to one by
another person it is very difficult to distinguish these birds.
How curiously quick is the instinct of birds in finding out
their food. Where peas or other favourite grain is sown, woodpigeons and tame pigeons immediately congregate. It is not
easy to ascertain from whence the former come, but the housepigeons have often been known to arrive in numbers on a newsown field, the very morning after the grain is laid down;
although no pigeon-house from which they could come exists
within several miles of the place.
Put down a handful or two of unthrashed oat straw in almost
any situation near the sea-coast where there are wild ducks, and
they are sure to find it out the first or second night after it has
been left there.
There are many almost incredible stories of the acuteness of
the raven's instinct in guiding it to the dead carcass of any large
animal, or even in leading it to the neighbourhood on the near
approach of death. I myself have known several instances of
the raven finding out dead bodies of animals in a very short
space of time. One instance struck me very much. I had
wounded a stag on a Wednesday. The following Friday I was
crossing the hills at some distance from the place, but in the
direction towards which the deer had gone. Two ravens passed
me, flying in a steady straight course. Soon again two more flew
by, and two others followed, all coming from different directions,
but making direct for the same point. " 'Deed, Sir," said the
Highlander with me, " the corbies have just found the staig; he
will be lying dead about the head of the muckle burn." By
tracing the course of the birds, we found that the man's conjecture was correct, as the deer was lying within a mile of
us, and the ravens were making for its carcass. The animal had
evidently only died the day before, but the birds had already
made their breakfast upon him, and were now on their way to
their evening meal. Though occasionally we had seen a pair of
ravens soaring high over head in that district, we never saw more
than that number; but now there were some six or seven pairs
already collected-where from, we knew not. When a whale, or
other large fish, is driven ashore on the coast of any of the
northern islands, the ravens collect in amazing numbers, almost
immediately coming from all directions, and from all distances,
led by the unerring instinct which tells them that a feast is to be
found in a particular spot.
Ducks go out to the grass-fields to search for the snails which
they know will be found before the coming shower; the fieldmouse covers up her hole in due time before the setting in of cold
weather. Fish have the strongest instinct with regard to changes
of the weather, refusing obstinately to rise at the most tempting
baits or flies when clouds charged with thunder or rain are passing through the air. Indeed most birds and animals have a
singular foreknowledge of changes in the weather; shifting their
quarters according as the coming rain or the dryness of the
atmosphere warns them.
The grouse foretell the approaching rains before the most weather-wise shepherd can do r.o, by betaking themselves to the dry
heights, where they sit or walk about with erect heads and necks,
in quite a different manner to their usual gait. So do the mountain sheep change their feeding ground to the lee side of the hills
before severe blasts of wind and rain. I have often been warned
of an approaching change in the weather by the proceedings of
the wild fowl in the bay ; and before changes of wind these birds
betake themselves to those places which will afford them the best
shelter during the coming storm.
There are few animals which do not afford timely and sure
prognostications of changes in the weather. It is proverbial that
pigs see the wind ; and they undoubtedly become restless, and
prepare their straw beds prior to a severe storm, some hours
before human organs are aware of its approach.
In fine, there is matter not only for amusement but for admiration in the actions and habits of every animal that we see,
even down to the most common small birds and quadrupeds : and
the unoccupied man may always find wherewithal to amuse himself profitably in watching the instinct which prompts the everyday proceeding of the animals which are always around us.
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