REFUSED TO SHARE. Ill 



worm, and was beating it on the top of a post 

 preparatory to swallowing it, when his little 

 spouse — who was sitting at the time — came 

 to the fence rail below him, and asked in the 

 same way for a bit. So far from sharing it with 

 her, this greedy bird simply took a fresh hold 

 of his prize, flew to a tree, and gobbled it down 

 with difficulty himself. Not so my generous 

 captive. The next day he complied with her 

 request again, and after that it was he who did 

 the tender coaxing, begging her to accept the 

 slight offering of his love. Soon, too, she grew 

 coquettish in manner, often turned a cold shoul- 

 der to him, opened her mouth at him, and 

 scolded in the sweetest and softest voice ; and 

 one night, after they had settled on their perch, 

 I heard gentle talk, and saw a little peck or 

 two on her part. He did the talking, and she 

 delivered the playful peck or push as reply. 

 Now, too, in his desire to manifest his affection, 

 he could not always wait for worms, but picked 

 dainty bits from the food-dish, and tendered 

 them in the same pretty way. She always ac- 

 cepted, though often she went at once to the 

 food-dish and ate for herself ; for with all this 

 sentiment and love-making her appetite did not 

 fail. Once she was outside and he inside the 

 cage, when he began to call and offer her some- 

 thing out of his mouth. She did not wish to 



