arrived at, but was then of only short duration, for 

 almost directly afterwards I was permitted to caress 

 the head itself. All animosity was now at an end ; 

 before long I could put my hand into the cage, and 

 stroke wings and back to the answering accompani- 

 ment of little cat-like purrs, betokening the most 

 profound contentment and happiness. To-day a 

 humanized bantam Parrot rides about the house, 

 perched on my finger and talking the while in a little 

 endearing language that both of us well understand. 

 Or else he may be found in my pocket, or nestling under 

 my coat collar, or perhaps against my cheek, when 

 every now and then I feel a little wet tongue licking 

 me, and sometimes there comes a gentle tweak from a 

 beak which could indeed do much more if its owner 

 wished. At the present moment the little fellow is on 

 the table close to my hand, watching my pen, and 

 trying to tempt me to a game of pretended fighting with 

 many contortions and mock heroics. If at any time 

 during such little games he is somewhat frightened, 

 or thinks he has had enough of it, he flies on to my 

 head, rather to my discomfort I must confess, because 

 if there is one thing that can be practised better by a 

 professional than by an amateur, it is the art of hair- 

 dressing. His talking accomplishments are as yet not 

 very marked, for although he has the constant com- 

 panionship of my Rosy Cockatoo, the most extensive 

 linguist I have ever known in the Parrot tribe, his 

 acquirements from this able teacher are confined at 

 present to calling the cat and dog, and to giving an 

 exact reproduction of the whining of the latter animal 

 when shut outside the door. 



From this joint account our readers will have 



