88 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 
ways some laggards as well as bold pioneers. I 
once found one in my house on a very cold morn- 
ing in the fall. He was probably sleeping on some 
house-plants that had been brought in from the 
frost the previous night, and was too benumbed 
with cold to know it. I caught and fed him, as it 
would have been barbarous to turn him out in the 
cold. He soon became a great pet, and was tame 
as a kitten. 
“One day two gentlemen entered the room 
where his cage was hanging, both wearing’ tall 
hats. He fell immediately to the bottom of the 
cage, with wings outspread, eyes closed, body rigid, 
and with every appearance of death. We took 
him in our hands and warmed him by the fire. 
He still remained motionless. We decided that 
those hats had frightened him to death. With a 
heavy heart I laid him aside, intending to embalm 
him at my leisure. 
“« A few minutes later my friends left the house. 
Directly after the door closed I heard a humming 
and buzzing in the room. Looking up, there was 
my bird circling around the room in the most hila- 
rious manner. Who can tell whether his apparent 
death was not counterfeited ? If it was not feigned, 
why did he revive the moment the door was closed 
and I was alone? 
“Tf you capture one out of doors and hold 
him in your hand he will practice the same 
ruse, stretching himself out, stiff and motionless. 
