155 



color; think I don't know a Madagascar ?" he added, 

 indignant!}', as the thought struck him. I had my 

 doubts on the matter, and pointed out the difference in 

 the colour, particularly the beak, but the only concession 

 I could get was that the bird might be a hen. Yes, now 

 he looked at it more careful h', it was a hen. Didn't I 

 want a hen ? All right — and the poor bird was tossed back 

 with a muttered adjectival comment on "waste of time." 

 This was decidedly discouraging, for the " any amount 

 of 'em " had raised my hopes. I got home safely 

 though — with a Pintail Whydah ; but as the bird died 

 in its moult a short time afterwards, I had no reason to 

 look back on my visit with undue elation. 



I generally have a look round "down East" about 

 every month, and although I have continually made 

 enquiries of all my friends there, it has been without 

 success up to the present. Most of them have my 

 address, and are going to write to me when they have a 

 Madagascar, but they have never written. 



In the summer of 1900, I was at one of the South 

 Coast watering places, and in my rambles came across a 

 very small cottage, the front room of which was turned 

 into a bird shop. Immediately interested, I looked in, 

 and could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the bird I 

 was in search of. To call " Ahoy there," through the 

 open window, and then lift the latch and v*alk in, 

 occupied much less time than it takes to write it. No 

 one appeared in answer to my repeated calls and knocks, 

 so I had a good look at the bird, and he was a splendid 

 creature. His cage-mates were Canaries, and the contrast 

 between his beautiful crimson and the various yellows 

 of his companions, considerably heightened the effect. 

 I was wondering what to do, when a venerable looking 

 old fellow came in with a jug. He looked rather 

 startled at seeing a stranger in the shop, and my affable 

 "Good morning to you," only provoked a suspicious 

 stare. " Do you sell birds } " I asked, and as I received 

 no answer was about to repeat the question, when the 

 absurditv of it struck me, so I altered it to " What is the 



