182 IN THE DESK DRAWERS. 



Investigating everything in the room is one 

 of my bird's greatest pleasures, and most at- 

 tractive of all he finds the drawer of my desk, 

 on the edge of which he stands, delighted and 

 bewildered by the variety before him. Great 

 would be the havoc if I were not there ; and 

 the curious thing about it is that he will pull 

 things over carelessly, with one eye on me, to 

 see if I object. If, on touching some particu- 

 lar thing, he sees that I do not approve, — and 

 he recognizes my sentiment as quickly as a 

 bright child would, — that thing, and that 

 only, he will have. At once he snatches it 

 and flies away across the room, and I may 

 chase him in vain. He regards it as a frolic 

 got up for his amusement, and no child ever 

 equaled him in dodging ; he cannot be driven, 

 and if cornered he uses his wings. I simply 

 put my wits against his, follow him about till 

 he has to drop his load to breathe, when a sud- 

 den start sends him off, and I secure it. If I 

 cover up anything, he knows at once it is some 

 forbidden treasure, and devotes all his energy 

 and cunning, which are great, to uncovering 

 and possessing himself of it. He opens any 

 box by delivering sharp blows under the edge 

 of the cover, and hides my postage stamps 

 in books and magazines. He hops around 

 the floor in a heavy way, as often sideways as 



