166 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 
about the London streets in a cage, and fora penny fee 
will pull out a small sheet of prophecy concerning one’s 
future. I argue from the ‘‘fortunes’’ told me by Bud- 
gerigars that I stand a good chance of living till 79, but 
as the bird once made a mistake, and gave mea lady’s 
fortune, am harassed by doubts as to their reliability 
as prophets. Our skilful native bird-trainers could 
probably do some remarkable things with these birds, 
since they show such docility. 
THE LORIES. 
These are a family of very pretty and active Parrots 
which live on fruit and the honey and pollen of 
flowers. To enable them to gather the last article of 
diet they have rather long tongues with a brush-like 
tip, with which they lick up their food. They are very 
swift on the wing, and much more nimble than ordinary 
Parrots among the boughs. On the ground they hop, 
instead of waddling like Parrots in general. Their bills 
are not quite so short and strong as Parrots’ bills usually 
are, but they are nevertheless rather spiteful and mischiey- 
ous with other birds, although naturally unable to bite 
so hard. They never have crests, and usually show 
a great deal of red in their plumage. A peculiar strong 
smell they have makes them unsuitable as indoor pets, 
and it is also a disadvantage that they must be fed 
on soft food, such as milk sop, soft fruit, &c., as like all 
such birds they are very dirty in a cage. This is a pity, 
as they are most tame and pettable birds, showing their / 
affection more like a puppy than a bird, by tumbling and 
