AFFECTIONATE WILD BIRDS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8840, 17 June 1907, Page 4

AFFECTIONATE WILD BIRDS.

To the naturalist wild life is every way more interesting than that of domesticated creatures. Nowhere can this life be studied better than in regions least frequented by man. Captain Snow tells, in his “Voyage to Terra Del Puego, ” how completely uuacouainted with man were the birds 'of those South American islands. What particularly interested him was the fellow-feeling shown among the sea fowl. “I remember ouce when I wanted to give the men a change of diet at Keppel Island, I shot, in an hour aud a half, twenty-nine of the best upland geese, quite as good and large as our finest geese at home. 11 It was'not always, however, that I wanted to shoot these birds. I have mentioned how they went in pairs or threes when feeding. Ou the occasion to which I refer I was making sad slaughter amongst them, when I observed a male bird suddenly turn from the flight which lie and his companion were making, and look round. I had shot his mate, and the poor thing had just dropped on a hillock not far from me. “For a moment tho male hesitated, and walked off, after alighting near his partner; but he again returned on seeing the female struggling in death. On he came leisurely towards the fallen bird, and so indifferent to his fate that for a second or twp#! did not shoot, until I bethought mo that I would end his grief, if grief he had, by making him share the same fate. “Another male bird that I winged fell in the water, where I could see him swimming about, closely attended by his female companion. When, at last, I sent tho boat and capturled the wounded one, his poor consort took to the shore, aud wandered about by herself, apparently quite discon, solato, and refused to mix with tho others.

“I could mention several instances which I notice of affection between these wild birds, but must give only the following; One of the loggerhead ducks had been caught alive and carried about with me on the . beach. The other bird, seeing his companion in this situation, at once came on shore for it, and followed us about to some distance, until at last I allowed tho captive to go, wiien they joined each other, and immediately waddled away to the water. ’ ’