*' TRICKS AND MANNERS'' OF A CAT-BIRD. 85 



can change its feathers so rapidly and so of- 

 ten?" 



If I want him to go into his cage, or to any 

 part of the room, I need only to go myself and 

 put some little thing there, or even appear to 

 do so ; and as soon as I retire he will rush over 

 to see what I have done. 



Next to his curiosity is his love of teasing. 

 The subject furnishing opportunity for a dis- 

 play of this quality is a cardinal grosbeak, 

 which cannot be coaxed to leave his cage. The 

 latte;;: is the older resident, and he did not re- 

 ceive the cat-bird very cordially. In fact, he 

 grew cross from the day the latter arrived, and 

 snarled and scolded every time he came near. 

 The cat-bird soon found out that his enemy 

 never left the cage, and since then has consid- 

 ered him a fit subject for annoyance. He will 

 alight on the cardinal's cage, driving him nearly 

 frantic ; he will stand on a shelf near the cage, 

 look in, and try to get at the food dish, — all 

 of which is in the highest degree offensive, and 

 calls forth violent scolds and screams of rage. 

 Finally, he will steal a grape or bit of fruit 

 stuck between the wires, when the cardinal will 

 fairly blaze with wrath. At one time the cat- 

 bird indulged in promenades across the top of 

 the cage, until the exasperated resident resorted 

 to severe measures, and by nipping his toes 



