Birds that Help Each Other.

Otago Witness, Issue 2905, 17 November 1909, Page 74

Birds that Help Each Other.

1 It seems fairly certain thofe birds are' much' more given to working" together and helping each othei -than autmmaTs are. It must be because the necessity is greater and the danger of bad behaviour is leas. The niakh Canada goose mates the season, and takes great pleasure,.. and pride in doing his share of the housework. He helps, build the nest, and while; the format si is upon it he guards her ' against allcomers with a degree c-f faithfulness and courage in he face of danger that would d< credit to bhe best poiioaman on eartn. The male sand-hill crane does> 'pre«i&o!y bhe same, and so did a male herring guH which. I once knew personally. In an aviary containing 20 other gulls and 12 Canada geese, the gulls nested on a tiny .peninsula, and on tiie isthmus leading to it the male stood guard day and nig'it during tha whole six weeks' period- of incubation. He either bluffed or fought to a standstill everything ' that came wituin tan "eet of that nest. Before his defiant and ternfying soreama and his threatening beak, and wings no other gull could stand or x moment. When a Canada goose crossed his head lino the gull woujd rush at him, seise him. by the nearest wirug, wing-beat him, and hing on like a bulldog, regardless of being dragged about by the stronger bird, until the goose was glad to purchase peaoa by ' retreating. During all these -battles tn-.?-female gull sat firmlj on her eggs, pointed her beak at the sky, and screamed encouragement with ail the- power ot her vocal machinery. In the bird world the malea of a great many species help to build tbe nest, dofend it, and rear the young. Tiie male sandhill cran>3 does so, and during incubation he sits on the nest while "the female is off in quest of food, drink,' and exercise. ' When the female is on the litest he guards ' her moat jealously and courageously, and his beak is a weapon to be avoided. ' The male Canada gocse conducts himself precisely as does -the male crane, and oac> which I knew personally would not permit ■ anyone to aop roach nearer than within 75£ l of the nest. The female rhinoceros horn-hill of the Far East permits the male tc plaster up ■, {with mud) the hole whiph leads to her ; nest in a' hollow tree'trunk, add trtwto to his feeding. ber-thofeugfo » very enfeU-open-3ng while she is sitting on the eggs. Why is this strange- thing don»J No one oam say for certain; but I think -tbs object is to protect the large and easily discoveredfemale hornhili from the attacks of th» tree-climbing pytJhons and monkeys that , would gladly destroy her if ti»ey could.— ) W. T. Horrwuday, in the Tribune Magazine.