Ornithological and Other Oddities 



on the low-growing kalmi, or water-convolvulus. 

 It was always, however, as I have said, so near the 

 shore, that observation was absolutely easy ; and 

 I am convinced that the birds knew me person- 

 ally, for the sitting one would not usually mind 

 my approach alone so much as when any one else 

 was with me ; indeed, I think the birds recipro- 

 cated by their confidence the friendship I felt 

 for them. And nothing but the word friendship 

 expresses the feeling one has after a very little 

 acquaintance with a bird of the dabchick's in- 

 teresting habits and sturdy character. 



As I have never heard of any one else making 

 a pet of a dabchick, a few notes on one of these 

 amusing little birds which I kept in that capacity 

 myself may be of some interest to bird-lovers. 

 It was in December, 1895, tnat I made this 

 individual's acquaintance, he having been offered 

 to me by a native dealer in the Calcutta Provision 

 Bazaar as a "teal"! He was then quite young, 

 having only down on his head and no quills in 

 his wings, though his body-plumage was grown. 

 I put him in a cage, and he became remarkably 

 tame, for, before he had been in my possession a 

 week, he wanted to follow me about, and was 

 most restless and fidgety when he could not get 

 to me. It was most curious to see him waddle 

 across the floor and lie down like a little dog by 



my feet. Of course I often let him out for a 



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