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the kestril or the sparrow-hawk. If you stand near the nest of a bird that has young, she will not be induced to betray them by an inadvertant fondness, but will wait about at a distance with meat in her mouth for an hour together. The fly-catcher builds every year in the vines that grow on the walls of my house. A pair of these little birds had one year inadvertantly placed their nest on a naked bough, perhaps in a shady time, not being aware of the inconvenience that followed; but a hot sunny season coming on before the brood was half-fledged, the reflection of the wall became insupportable, and must inevitably have destroyed the tender young, had not affection suggested an expedient, and prompted the parent birds to hover over the nest all the hotter hours, while with wings expanded and mouth gaping for breath they screened off the heat from their suffering offspring. A farther instance I once saw of notable sagacity in a willow-wren, that had built in a bank in my fields. This bird, a friend and myself had observed as she sat in her nest; but were particularly careful not to disturb her, tho' we knew she saw us, and eyed us with some degree of jealousy. Some days after, as we passed that way, we were desirous of remarking how this brood went

on; but no nest could be found, till I happened to take a large bundle of long green moss as it were carelessly thrown over the nest, in order to dodge the eye of any impertinent intruder."

A wonderful spirit of sociality in the brute creation, independent of sexual attachment, has been frequently remarked. Many horses though quiet with company, will not stay one minute in a field by themselves: the strongest fences cannot restrain them. A horse has been known to leap out at a stable window out of which dung was thrown, after company; and yet in other respects is remarkably quiet. Oxen and Cows will not fatten by themselves; but will teglect the finest pasture that is not recommended by society. It would be needless to instance in sheep, that constantly flock together. But this propensity seems not to be confined to animals of the same species.

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In the work last quoted, we are told of doe still alive, that was brought up from a little fawn with a dairy of cows; it accompanies them to the field, and returns again to the yard. The dogs of the house take no notice of this deer, being used to her; -but if strange dogs come by, a chase ensues;

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while the master smiles to see his favourite securely leading her pursuers over gates or styles, till she returns to the cows, who with fierce lowings and menacing horns drive the assailants quite out of the pasture.

Even great disparity of kind and size does not always prevent social advances and mutual fellowship. Of this the following remarkable instance is given in this work:-A very intelligent and observant person assured me that in a former part of his life, keeping but one horse, he happened also on a time to have but one horse, at the same time had but one solitary hen. These two incongruous animals spent much of their time together in a lonely orchard, where no creature but themselves were to be seen. By degrees an apparent regard began to take place between these two sequestrated individuals. The fowl would approach the quadruped with notes of complacency, rubbing herself gently against his legs; while the horse would look down with satisfaction, and move with the greatest caution and circumspection, lest he should trample on his diminitive companion. By mutual good offices each seemed to console the vacant hours of the other; so that Milton, when he puts the fol

lowing sentiment in the mouth of Adam, seems to be somewhat mistaken.

Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl,
So well converse, nor with the ox the ape.

In the gentleman's magazine for March 1788, we have the following anecdotes of a Raven, communicated by a correspondent who does not sign his name, but who says it is at the service of the doubtful. The raven alluded to lives or did live three years since, at the Red Lion at Hungerford; his name, I think, is Rafe. You must know then, that coming into that inn, my chaise run over or bruised the leg of my Newfoundland dog; and while we were examining the injury dose to the dog's foot, Rafe was evidently a concerned'spectator; for the minute the dog was tied up under the manger with my horse, Rafe not only visited but fetched him bones, and attended upon him with particular and repeated marks of kindness. The bird's notice of the dog was so marked,that I observed it to the hostler, for I had not heard a word before of the history of this benevolent creature. John then told me, that he had been bred from his pin-feathers in intimacy with, a G

Rafe's

dog; that the neighbourhood had often been witnesses of the innumerable acts of kindness they had conferred upon each other. poor dog, after a while, unfortunately broke his leg; and during the long time he was confined, Rafe waited upon him constantly, carried him his provisions daily, and never scarce left him alone! One night by accident the hostler had shut the stable door, and Rafe was deprieved of the company of his friend the whole night; but the hostler found in the morning the bottom of the door so pecked away that, had it not been opened, Rafe would in another hour have made his entrance port. I then enquired of my landlady (a sensible woman,) and heard what I have related confirmed by her, with several other singular traits of the kindnesses this bird shows to all dogs in general, but particularly to maimed or wounded ones. Thope and believe, however, the bird is still living; and the traveller will find I have not over-rated this wonderful bird's merit.

To these instances of attachment between incongruous animals, from a spirit of sociality or the feelings of sympathy, may be added the following instance of fondness from a different motive, recounted by Mr. White, in the work already so frequently quoted. My

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