212 ''THESE ARE YOUR BROTHERS:' 



edge lie would perch for hours, and twitter and 

 call, but no other bird ever approached it. 

 Still another alwa3^s selected the door casing 

 and window cornices. 



Every bird has his chosen place for the 

 night, usually the highest perch on the darkest 

 side of the cage. They soon become accus- 

 tomed to the situation of the dishes in their 

 cages, and plainly resent any change. On my 

 j)lacing a drinking-cup in a new part of the car- 

 dinal's residence, he came down at once, scold- 

 ing violently, pretended to drink, then looked 

 over to the corner where the water used to be, 

 and renewed his protestations. Then he re- 

 turned to the upper perch, flirting his tail, and 

 expressing his mind with great vigor. A few 

 minutes passed, and he repeated the perform- 

 ance, keeping* it up with great excitement 

 until, to pacify him, I replaced the cup. He at 

 once retired to his usual seat, smoothed his 

 roughened plumage, and in a few moments 

 began to sing. A dress of new color on their 

 mistress makes great commotion among these 

 close observers, and the moving about of furni- 

 ture puts the tamest one in a panic. 



" Besides song," says Michelet, *' the bird 

 has many other languages. Like men, he prat- 

 tles, recites, and converses." The subject of 

 birds' language is one of great interest, and I 



