Show oz 4 SHOWED INSTINCT OF SWANS birds had learned the trick of ringing a bell to get their supply I 1 of food M during a recent visit to the cathedral city of wells in Somerset shire a scotsman bor correspondent respondent was witness of a curious incident the ept episcopal leopal palace la Is surrounded just as in olden times by a wall and a moat the haunt of swans ducks and other aquatic birds the Is IB crossed at the entrance to the palace grounds by a drawbridge with a battlemented gateway with towers in one of which Is the gatekeepers gate keepers lodge from a b bracket fixed in the wall ot of one of these towers overlooking the moat a bell is suspended with a cord attached ta clied one noon about alve while watching tho the movements ot of the various birds in tile tho water tile the correspondent spon dent heard the ringing of a bell and ort on looking to see whence the sound came he observed that one ot of the swana was vigorously pulling the cord evidently to attract attention As no immediate notice was taken of its efforts the impatient bird continued to ring tho the bell violently until there app appeared pared at the window of tho the tower the wife of the gatekeeper who out a ot food to the expectant water waterfowl foul on making inquiries as to the origin of 01 this interesting episode the corre corr spon dent was told that a number 01 ol years yeara ago a daughter of the bishop ot wells being much interested tn in tha birds inhabiting ae moat taught tho swans to ring the bell at feeding time cit at five lanthe afternoon this practice has gaii been continued by successive families of baans bwana down 1 tp the present day and it would seem therefore as if the birds transmitted to their offspring the knowl knowledge edgo that when the cord was vas pulled tho the 1141 li ill would ring and that food would follow |