Abstract
THE following is a curious instance of discrimination, which I have observed in my bullfinch. He is in the habit of coming out of his cage in my room in the morning. In this room there is a mirror with a marble slab before it, and also a very cleverly-executed water-colour drawing of a hen-bullfinch, life-size. The first thing which my bullfinch does on leaving his cage is to fly to the picture (perching on a vase just below it), and pipe his tune in the most insinuating manner, accompanied with much bowing to the portrait of the hen-bullfinch. After having duly paid his addresses to it, he generally spends some time on the marble slab in front of the looking-glass, but without showing the slightest emotion at the sight of his own reflection, or worthying it with a song. Whether this perfect coolness is due to the fact of the reflection being that of a cock-bird, or whether (since he shows no desire to fight the reflected image) he is perfectly well aware that he only sees himself, it is difficult to say.
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FRANKLAND, S. Intellect in Brutes. Nature 21, 82 (1879). https://doi.org/10.1038/021082a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/021082a0
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