The Descent of Man

e has been shot, the survivor has been heard
for days afterwards uttering a plaintive call;
and Mr. St. John gives various facts proving the
attachment of mated birds. (10. 'A Tour in Sutherlandshire,'
vol. i. 1849, p. 185. Dr. Buller says
('Birds of New Zealand,' 1872, p. 56) that a male
King Lory was killed; and the female "fretted
and moped, refused her food, and died of a
broken heart.") Mr. Bennett relates (11. 'Wanderings
in New South Wales,' vol. ii. 1834, p. 62.)
that in China after a drake of the beautiful
mandarin Teal had been stolen, the duck remained
disconsolate, though sedulously courted
by another mandarin drake, who displayed
before her all his charms. After an interval of
three weeks the stolen drake was recovered,
and instantly the pair recognised each other
with extreme joy. On the other hand, starlings,
as we have seen, may be consoled thrice in the
same day for the loss of their mates. Pigeons
have such excellent local memories, that they
have been known to return to their former