82 HALIAETUS ALBICILLA. 



generally been done once a-week, so that any offensive 

 smell seldom occurs. He evidently knows his master, 

 and the other members of the family. When strangers 

 come upon him unawares and unattended, he seems 

 much alarmed, sometimes springing- up and striking 

 the roof of the cage ; but he is speedily pacitied on the 

 approach of any one with whom he is acquainted. 

 This quality of being tractable, and forming familiari- 

 ties, was very early observed in him. Mr Slight in- 

 forms me, that ' the voyage from Cape Wrath occu- 

 pied about a fortnight ; during which, much curiosity 

 was excited by the intimacy that took place between 

 the bird and the sailor who had charge of feeding it, 

 and he was the only person allowed to approach without 

 interrogation.' This is an expressive phrase ; for I know- 

 by experience that such aquiline interrogation implies 

 a severe blow by pecking with the bill, or sharp flapping 

 with the wing. He uniformly shews dislike to a parti- 

 coloured dress, and sometimes seems absolutely terrified 

 at a lady who may happen to wear a blue or a pink bon- 

 net. He has occasionally been allowed to wander out of 

 the cage, but on these occasions he merely jumped about 

 on the gravel- walk, without attempting to fly off or to 

 escape, and was easily persuaded to re-enter his abode, 

 or even seemed pleased to do so. We have observed 

 for two or three years past that he becomes impatient 

 and restless in March and April, and at that season 

 calls very frequently and loudly, often during theniight 

 or early in the morning. The notes of periodical im- 

 patience are very shrill, and wildly vociferous ; alto- 

 gether distinct from those by which he endeavours to 

 attract our attention to his wants, which are compara- 

 tively soft and of a coaxing character/' 



