Ornithological and Other Oddities 



This young bird, like all of the barred variety 

 I have had anything to do with, was very tame. 

 I did not keep it long, but gave it to my friend 

 Mr. D. Ezra, in whose possession it developed the 

 affectionate habits of a lap-dog. Although the 

 species is not, so far as I am aware, a nocturnal 

 bird in its wild state, this tame bird would always 

 make itself at home with its master in the evening, 

 coming up to him when let out of its cage in 

 the room, and sitting down on the couch by his 

 side. 



One I had had before was so tame, that when 

 full-fledged I allowed it complete liberty in the 

 Indian Museum grounds, where it picked up its 

 own food — consisting mostly, as far as I could 

 see, of refuse boiled rice, and of young toads — 

 and yet remained so familiar that it would come 

 up to me to have its head scratched. If, how- 

 ever, I took it up and held it, it would struggle 

 furiously, drawing blood with its sharp bill. 



In the end I missed it one day, and ultimately 

 found it in a cage in the Bird Bazaar, where, I 

 was told, it had been brought by " a Christian 

 boy " ! It bowed its head to be scratched as 

 usual, and I ransomed it for fourpence and gave 

 it to the Calcutta Zoo. Here it lived for some 

 time and attained its full plumage, though the 

 eyes simply became yellow, not red. 



It was always very tame and even affectionate 



156 



