The Descent of Man

used during several years to shoot one of a pair
of starlings which built in a hole in a house at
Blackheath; but the loss was always immediately
repaired. During one season he kept an account,
and found that he had shot thirty-five
birds from the same nest; these consisted of
both males and females, but in what proportion
he could not say: nevertheless, after all this destruction,
a brood was reared. (6. On the peregrine
falcon, see Thompson, 'Nat. Hist. of Ireland:
Birds,' vol. i. 1849, p. 39. On owls, sparrows,
and partridges, see White, 'Nat. Hist. of
Selborne,' edit. of 1825, vol. i. p. 139. On the
Phoenicura, see Loudon's 'Mag. of Nat. Hist.'
vol. vii. 1834, p. 245. Brehm ('Thierleben,' B. iv.
s. 991) also alludes to cases of birds thrice mated
during the same day.)
These facts well deserve attention. How is it
that there are birds enough ready to replace
immediately a lost mate of either sex? Magpies,
jays, carrion-crows, partridges, and some other