Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

Dr. Charles C. Abbott cites the following occurrence to show that birds possess some mode of conveying ideas to one another: In the spring of 1872, a pair of cat-birds were noticed carrying material for a nest to a patch of blackberry-briars near by. To test their ingenuity, Dr. Abbott took a long, narrow strip of muslin, too long for one bird conveniently to carry, and placed it on the ground in such a position as to be seen by the birds when searching for material. In a few moments one of the cat-birds spied the strip and endeavored to carry it off; but its length and weight, however he took hold of it-and he tried many times-impeded his flight, and after worrying a long time over it the bird flew off for assistance. In a few moments he returned with his mate, and then, standing near the strip,they appeared to hold a consultation. The chirping twittering, murmuring, and occasional ejaculations were all unmistakable. In a few moments these all ceased, and the work commenced. Each took hold of the muslin strip at about the same distance in each case from the ends, and, taking flight simultaneously, bore it away. Soon there was much jabbering at the nest, the birds could not agree how to use the strip, and it was finally abandoned; but so, too, was the nest, and the birds left the neighborhood.