i88 The Story of Jocy--Our Blue-fronted Conure. 



The Story of Joey — Our Blue-fronted Conure. 



By Miss D. E. Pithie. 



I see by last montirs Dikd Notes the Marquis of 

 Tavistock says: " C'oniires are very noisy, destructive to 

 woodwork, and vicious with other birds." Joey is evidentlv 

 an exception to this rule, for he is none of these things. About 

 eleven years ago my mother and I were in Southampton, 

 looking round the bird shops and slumming, when in one shop 

 my mother heard a funny little voice behind her say: " Come 

 on, mother;" it was a dirty little l)ird which the dealer called a 

 " Sooty Lory," and she bought him for 6s. He wanted to sell 

 us a cage, but they were all so dirty and in those days even dear. 

 We hurried back to the " Ditches " and got a really nice new 

 parrot cage for 5s.. met Joey at the station, and when we got 

 home put him in this cage. W'e sprayed him well, and he 

 became a lovely little bird. He learnt to say " apple " in three 

 days, and became very friendly. When we moved to Southsea 

 Joey was put in tlie kitchen, as our late maid was devoted to him. 

 He learned any amount of words there, but his plumage sitffered, 

 and for six years he has been looking very moth-eaten. When 

 the maid left, he was brought out of the kitchen, and now lives 

 in the dining room, which looks on to the street by day, and in 

 a spare room with the others at night. He knows perfectly 

 well wlien it is meal time, and gives one no peace until his wants 

 ha\e l)een attended to. I'or l)reakfast warm milk and sugar, 

 with a bit of bacon fat or fried l^-ead (I am sure the Editor will 

 sliake his head o\er his l)ill of fare! ); Lunch: either bread and 

 butter, suet pudding, if there is any, and he knows that from 

 anything else, or else a piece of apple; Tea: a spoonful of tea, 

 very sweet, and jiiece of l)read and butter or cake — he will have 

 these things. I think a sugar card ought to be allowed for 

 him ! He used tf) sit up to dinner and then would have potato. 

 biU lately we've i)ut him up with the others after tea, and he 

 entertains them for ages. ITe is out of his cage all day long, 

 generally sitting on a waste pa]^er basket, which is his very own. 

 He loves a box (Quaker oats) to play with, or a sheet of paper. 

 but is frightened of a tir cone or piece of stick. Many times, 

 when our late maid's husband was here she was sure Joey was 



