On taming Parrots.



243



sentecl a wonderful aspect. Whether moss or lichen was not

procurable I cannot say, but, knowing that the outside was incom¬

plete without a decoration of some kind wherewith to adorn or make

it less conspicuous, the worthy couple laid their heads together, and

after a long and serious confab resolved to again follow the

example of the humans ‘and utilise the confetti which had been

thrown at them for good luck, and see whether there was any truth

in the popular superstition. Accordingly they hied them to The

Manse gate, and carefully collected as much of the confetti as was

still to the fore, and decorated the outside walls of their prospective

residence in the most skilful manner imaginable, after which he

gallantly led her to her bridal home, where they proved that the so-

called superstition must have been no superstition at all, for it

brought them much happiness and a wedded life in which there were

no family jars, and any troubles they did have were exceedingly

“ little ones ” ; but it served to make the nest more, instead of less,

•conspicuous, and this ultimately led to its discovery.


I shall be pleased to show the nest to any of my fellow-

members ; but it is rather a far cry from the editorial chair of the

•* Avicultural Magazine ’ to the kingdom o’ Fife. '



ON TAMING PARROTS.


By Rosie Alderson.


I.


He who wrote “ a small thing, but mine own,” sounded a very

true note in human nature, for is it not often the case that we prize

a bird just because its love seems specially to centre on ourselves,

and parrots and parrakeets seem particularly capable of giving

affection to their owner and often to no one else.


There is something very delightful in gaining the loving con¬

fidence of a timid or savage bird so that it ends by looking upon you

as its greatest friend, and it is my firm belief that it is possible to

.accomplish this with every wild creature, whether animal or bird.



• [Mr. Goodall promised a photograph of the nest, but it did not arrive.— Ed. J



