FRIENDSHIP IN ANIMALS 75 



had shot it. To the others it was indifferent, although 

 they were always in the house taking notice of and 

 petting it, while this chosen friend was absent on busi- 

 ness in the city every day from morning to the late 

 afternoon. The teal would keep near him when he 

 had breakfast, then accompany him to the door open- 

 ing out of the courtyard to the street, and having seen 

 him off she would return to her place and pass her day 

 in a quiet contented manner as if she had forgotten all 

 about the absent one. But invariably at about four 

 o'clock in the afternoon she would go to the open 

 street door to wait for his return, and if he was an hour 

 or so late she would sit there the whole time on the 

 threshold, her beak turned city-wards, to the astonish- 

 ment of the passers-by. On his appearance she was 

 all joy and would run to his feet, nodding her head 

 and flirting her wings and emitting all the quacking 

 and other curious little sounds the bird uses to express 

 its happy emotions. Like most teals it is a loquacious 

 bird, and very excitable. After that the great happi- 

 ness of the teal was to have permission to sit at his 

 feet, when he settled himself in his chair to rest and 

 read. She would actually sit on his foot. 



It happened that some years ago I told this story of 

 the teal in an article in a monthly magazine. My 

 belief was that it was a very strange story, that the 

 experience of my Buenos Ayres friend was absolutely 

 unique — for who would have imagined that any other 

 person in the world had found a loved and affectionate 

 pet in a teal, which he had himself shot with the 



