20 SEPTEMBER 1930, Page 15

One of the best things ever said of birds is

that "they could be much cleverer if they wanted to." Their senses (which include some "sixth sense" at which we cannot so much as guess) are so acute, their vivacity so high and their love of movement so compelling that they have little need of the exercise of what we call intelligence. But the bird has a good brain, and a retentive memory, and can develop a love of play and a sense of companionship which make it almost comparable with a dog. The whole tribe deserves the delightful name given in Australia to the singularly tame storks that walk about the homesteads in Queensland : they are "native companions" indeed.

* * *