i64 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



their wings that they are not easily seen. Indeed, if they kept quiet, nothing- 

 would be the matter. But it is not in the nature of a bird to sit still many 

 minutes. They soon begin to move from bough to bough. The fact is, they 

 have eaten all the berries from one bough, and want to go to another. Then 

 the hunter can hear the rustling of their wings, and can see them quite 

 plainly. Of course, he takes aim with his gun, and shoots as many as he likes. 



We told you that one kind of parrot has a brush-like tongue, and that he 

 is very fond of honey. He is called the lorikeet, and is very splendid with his 

 red and yellow body, and blue head, and yellow tail. 



He climbs and hooks just as the parrot does, but he cares little for fruit ; 

 all he wants is the sweet sugary juice of the flower, and he sweeps it off with 

 his tongue. No other member of the family possesses such a tongue, for it 

 would be of no use to them. 



The lorikeet lives in Australia, and spends all his time amid the beautiful 

 flowers and blossoms that abound on every hand. He is so intent on his 

 banquet that he cannot see what is going on quite close to him ; and the 

 hunter with his gun often comes out to look for him. The flesh of the honey- 

 loving bird is a great dainty, and the poor lorikeet often falls a victim. 

 Indeed, being caught in the very fact, his crop is full of nectar, and the native 

 takes up the dead bird and sucks the rich store out through the beak. 



THE COCKATOO. 



There Is a very interesting branch of the parrot family that wear a crest of 

 beautiful feathers on their heads. They can set the crest up and down just 

 as they like. 



They are called cockatoos, and, like the parrots, they live in the forests ; 

 and, like the parrots, they are not always out of mischief; for we did not dwell 

 on this part of the parrot's character at the time we were speaking about him. 



The parrot is not always satisfied with the feast provided in his native 

 woods ; he often pays a visit to the orchards and the stackyards. There is a 

 North American parrot that sets no bounds to his thefts and pillages. He 



