The Descent of Man

homes after an interval of nine months, yet, as I
hear from Mr. Harrison Weir, if a pair which
naturally would remain mated for life be separated
for a few weeks during the winter, and
afterwards matched with other birds, the two
when brought together again, rarely, if ever,
recognise each other.
Birds sometimes exhibit benevolent feelings;
they will feed the deserted young ones even of
distinct species, but this perhaps ought to be
considered as a mistaken instinct. They will
feed, as shewn in an earlier part of this work,
adult birds of their own species which have
become blind. Mr. Buxton gives a curious account
of a parrot which took care of a frostbitten
and crippled bird of a distinct species,
cleansed her feathers, and defended her from
the attacks of the other parrots which roamed
freely about his garden. It is a still more curious
fact that these birds apparently evince some
sympathy for the pleasures of their fellows.