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the parrot, have it omitted from the mixture. Every- 

 one advocates a special food and I only give my fancy. 

 I have never lost a parrot so far, and the diet has 

 always been the same. A lady in all seriousness told 

 me the other day that the only way to get a parrot to 

 eat any particular food was to starve it until it did eat 

 it. In spite of being considered vindictive or spiteful 

 I should dearly like to find out some article of diet 

 which my good friend disliked and starve her till she 

 ate it. Surely a bird is entitled to its fancies as well 

 as a human being. [It is not always well to allow 

 a human being to indulge his fancies. — Ed.] 



Give tlie bird plenty, but see that the allowance is 

 eaten, otherwise one extra choice ingredient ma}'- be 

 singled out and all the rest thrown away. After the tin 

 is empty you will generall3^find Polly will descend and 

 clear up the previously discarded food. All parrots 

 should be allowed a plentiful supply of grit and should 

 be kept scrupulously clean. Also avoid the wicked 

 habit of depriving the poor bird of water ; give a 

 plentiful supply and change it ever}^ day. Of course 

 if the bird has been deprived of water, begin with a 

 small quantity. 



My first parrot experience was when I was twelve. 

 A friend brought back a parrot from the West Coast. 

 Believing my way of distinguishing sex to be a correct 

 one I will call her she. She almost at once took a 

 fancy to me ; I must say this fancy was most heartily 

 reciprocated and I never wish to meet a more charming 

 bird. She was very quick and learnt all manner of 

 curious sounds, amongst which was an exact imitation 

 of the whistle of a speaking-tube. This useful con- 

 trivance was fixed between the dining room and the 



