138 TRANSIENT GUESTS IN THE BIRD-ROOM. 



After several failures in finding a bird to 

 my mind, I resolved upon a change, and so 

 introduced to the study a pair of marmosets: 

 they were of the smallest variety, a few inches 

 tall, with little round faces about the size of a 

 silver half-dollar ; and, having already been in- 

 terested in the pranks of a pair in a friend's 

 house, I promised myself much pleasure. I did 

 not select them, and while one was everything 

 I could desire, having an amiable face with a 

 full white fan of hair on each side, a long, per- 

 fect tail and fur in good condition, the other 

 had a wicked face, no white fans, and only half 

 a tail. He looked like a tramp, and he proved 

 himself to have something of the character we 

 associate with that sort of personage. He was 

 extremely greedy, and ate like a thief who 

 never expected to have another chance ; in a 

 word, he " gobbled." He was always first at 

 the bars when food approached, and he would 

 thrust his droll little hands out, pleading for 

 the first bite, and savagely pulling the hair of 

 his mate if she happened to be nearest and re- 

 ceived the first piece. It was of no use to try 

 to administer justice by giving her the prece- 

 dence, for he fell upon her instantly, snatch- 

 ing the morsfel away and making her scream. 

 Generally, therefore, he secured the first por- 

 tion, a bit of apple or thin slice of banana. 



