WOOD AND WASTE 89 



is never himself who is first fed, and the 

 distribution of the chopped meat Piikekos 

 love is a quaint spectacle. 



One of us presents it bit by bit to 

 Budget, who duly passes it on to one or 

 another of his little troop till they are 

 gorged, standing round the dish replete, 

 like sated cobras, and their small tummies 

 tight as very drums. 



"Budget!" ''Budget!" will always fetch 

 him running across the lawn with his 

 funny rolling gait; an outstretched palm 

 he knows means some dainty for his 

 little ones, and we are careful never to 

 deceive him. 



He enjoys his bath many times a day, 

 wallowing and splashing in his milk dish, 

 and always, after ablutions are over, 

 leaving the water with a skip and series 

 of short hops. After preening his feathers, 

 should there be sun, he spreads his wings 

 to the full, making them slope to the very 

 ground from an angle above his back. 



Should a cloud pass over the sky he 

 folds his wings, and proceeds with his 

 perambulations in search of food. With the 



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