2=^2 Reminiscences. 



coniinenccd to inculcate. Before the babies were born tlie 

 father (heel after a short illness, hron.i^ht on by dissolute habits 

 she said. When the chicks hatched I persuaded Mrs. Suj^arbird 

 to let me liave a ])ee]), and there was only one. Still that was a 

 hne healthy chick, and we bought a book, took lots of advice, 

 and tried otn- hands at rearing- Baby Sugarbird. It only lived 

 3 or 4 days, and I unconsciously was the murderer. You see, 

 I didn't understand baby Sug'arbirds in those days, and I 

 actually gave Mrs. Sugarbird a gentle for the baby. As I had 

 given it to her she thought it must be all right, and gave it to 

 her baby, which died the same day. In light of more mature 

 experience I can only say to myself " What did you expect?" 

 So my little friend was a wife, a widow and a childless mother 

 all in a few days. She lived with me for quite a while, but one 

 day she seemed a little seedy, so I gently caught her up. a little 

 ball of green fluff, after the dustman had passed by, and brought 

 her into the house, but loving care without knowledge and 

 experience (for it was in my early days of aviculture) did not 

 avail, and so my little friend was gathered to her fathers, and 

 took the journey which knows no return, leaving a heavy- 

 hearted human to mourn for her. 



Aviculture is not one unending success, and the loss of 

 birds, such as she, leaves a scar which not even time can efTace. 

 It seems hard to believe " It is better to have loAcd and lost 

 than never to have loved at all." She was not stuffed, because 

 stuffed l)irds look so unreal, and after all. it is not the shape of 

 the l)ird that wins its way to your affections. It is a thousand 

 pretty little ways. As the saying is " Charms catch the eve. 

 but won't win the soul." 



Ijut what " cursed spite " is it that pursues one in life? 

 Each bird that has been a real ])et, a friend to cheer one, has met 

 with a violent end. 1 recollect two of the tamest Parrakeets 

 1 ever saw or had. Tliey were examples of that lovely little 

 Conure the ( )range-f!anked I'arrakeet. The tameness of the 

 cock bird was quite uncannw 1 have taken him out of doors in 

 the garden scores of times without anything to prevent him 

 flying away. He once did, and flew into an 8oo-acre wood 

 near l)v. However, when he had recovered his fright. I called 



