14 ADVENTURES AMONG BIRDS 



were divided, calling themselves Reds and Whites (or 

 Blues), and were occupied in cutting one another's 

 throats. 



In Buenos Ay res we stayed at the house of an English 

 missionary clergyman, in a street near the waterside. 

 He was a friend of my parents and used to come out 

 with his family to us in the summer, and in return my 

 mother made his house her home for a month or so in 

 winter. This was my first visit, and I remember the 

 house was like a luxurious palace to my simple mind 

 accustomed to rude surroundings. It had a large 

 paved courtyard, with ornamental shrubs and orange and 

 lemon trees growing in it, and many prettily decorated 

 rooms; also a long passage or balcony at the back, and, 

 at its far end, facing the balcony, the door of the study. 

 This balcony at the back had an irresistible attraction 

 for me, for on the wall were hung many cages contain- 

 ing beautiful birds, some unknown to me. There were 

 several canaries, a European goldfinch, and other kinds; 

 but the bird that specially attracted me was a cardinal 

 in fine plumage, with a loud, glad, musical call-note — 

 just such a note as that with which the bird in a London 

 thoroughfare had pierced my heart. But it did not sing, 

 and I was told that it had no song except that one note, 

 or not more than two or three notes, and that it was 

 kept solely for its beauty. To me it was certainly most 

 beautiful. 



Every day during our six or seven weeks' visit I used 

 to steal out to the balcony, and stand by the hour watch- 

 ing the birds, above all the cardinal with his splendid 



