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of most of tlie Parrot tribe. As a cage bird kept 

 under favourable conditions he is quite another sort 

 of person and takes high rank as a pleasing and 

 intelligent companion to man even when taken up 

 and caged at the period of puberty. Removed from 

 the nest at about ten or twelve da3'S old and artificially 

 reared, I am convinced that he would be just perfect 

 as a house pet, not only as regards his capacity for 

 affection and confidence, but also by reason of his 

 general cleverness and proficiency in talking. That 

 the Redrump has considerable powers of mimicry 

 will be presently seen. 



My own knowledge of him was due to a happy 

 chance. In the early part of the summer of 1902 I 

 made the acquaintance of a fellow aviculturist who 

 lives amidst purely rural surroundings about three 

 miles from my house, and there I found in an aviary 

 at the bottom of his garden a pair of these birds 

 apparently about to breed. Thereupon, as I am told 

 is quite usual among bird lovers under the circum- 

 stances of seeing a bird for the first time, a bit of the 

 old Adam came at once to the surface in the shape of 

 a covetous desire, which culminated before I left my 

 friend's premises in my bespeaking one of the youn^ 

 cocks that might possibly be seen in the sweet bye 

 and bye. In due course ni}'' purchase took a definite 

 shape ; and although it has often been my lot to feel 

 a daily and poignant regret that I had ever seen some 

 bird or other that I had only too eagerly acquired, yet 

 in this instance I have never experienced anything 

 but unalloyed delight at having followed my natural 

 instincts. My original intention was to keep Mr. 

 Billy (as I have since named him) in an aviarj^ after 

 the general fashion and to provide him ultimately 

 with a mate. When however he arrived at my house 

 in the character of a strong and well grown adolescent 

 there was no aviary at liberty for his accommodation. 



