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Bird- Lore 



increase. One day we missed one of them, — they are so much alike we 

 scarcely knew the male from the female. Several days went by and still the 

 bird was missing. We had noticed that the remaining bird sat a great deal 

 on or near a hollow log, hanging on the wall, so we decided to investigate. 

 We reached down into the hollow, and such a howl as rose upon the air! 

 Heavens, how that bird bit! We retired, vanquished, and left Mrs. Rosalie 



victor. Some weeks later she appeared, and we knew, from the hisses that 

 issued from that hollow log, that her vigil had not been in vain; later on 

 five youngsters came forth, thus proving there is more than has been writ. 



Another member of the Parrot family is the Cockateel, a beautiful bird 

 of soft shades of gray. The male has a pale lemon -colored head, a crest of 

 lemon, and two bright orange spots on each cheek; he has a soft, musical 

 whistle. We have raised quite a number. The young are the homeliest 

 things imaginable. The only thing I can think of when I see them squirm- 

 ing, twisting their necks, and uttering their snake-like hisses, is St. 

 George and the Dragon, — only in their case St. George is missing. 



We have also the brilliant King Parrot, a peaceable, elegant bird; the 

 mischievous, gorgeously colored Lory, with his acrobatic stunts; the Pink- 

 crested Cockatoo and other commoner varieties. 



Among the larger birds are three varieties of Pigeons. Two of them are 

 game-birds of Australia — the Bronze and the Crested Pigeon; the other is 



