AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



15 



watch two of them get hold of the same piece but though they tugged 

 and pulled I never saw them quarrel or fight. 



After they had had their fill they would retire to their perches, where 

 standing on one foot they would go to sleep. After a nap they would 

 put in most of their time trying to get out. 



It was their delight on a hot day to sit and let me spray them with 

 cool water. They would spread out their wings, shake their heads and 

 tails and ruffle up their feathers. They seemed to enjoy it immensely. 

 After a bath they would retire to their perches and arrange their 

 feathers. 



As they grew older and stronger they would fly about the cage and 

 their untiring attempts to escape, combined with the fact that they 

 could henceforth take care of themselves, lead me to give them their 

 liberty. So one day I took Tom out of the cage. He perched on my 

 finger for quite a while before he realized that he was free. He then 

 gave me a farewell scream and fluttered ofif and I never saw him again. 



The next day I opened the door of the cage but Dick and Harry did 

 not leave at once and when they did it was only to fly up into the tree 

 from which the cage was suspended. They seemed to not have much 



Photo from life by F. K. ^filler. 



TOM, DICK AND HARRY. 



