The Croiv Tribe. 47 



of grapes and cherries, in confinement, and boiled rice 

 is recommended for it. A pair brought from India 

 some years ago came into the possession of Mr. Colley, 

 hospital surgeon at Great Yarmouth, about two years 

 after they had been in England, and he has kindly 

 furnished me with the following particulars. He keeps 

 them in a large waggon-shaped cage, and feeds them 

 on barley-meal made into oblong pellets about the 

 size of marbles, with water, freshly mixed each morn- 

 ing. He says they require a good deal of water and 

 plenty of sand in their cage, and must be kept out of 

 draughts, but do not need a warm room, and when 

 acclimatized he considers them hardy. They have a 

 curious gait, moving with sudden jerking hops, and 

 turning as they hop. They are exceedingly lively and 

 talkative, and delight in being noticed, chattering most 

 when a number of persons are standing round their 

 cage. The two birds speak in different voices, one 

 having been apparently instructed by a youth, and the 

 other by a deep-voiced man ; and will converse for a 

 quarter of an hour at a time, the bird with a deep voice 

 calling out, " Bring the boat alongside! " and the other 

 answering, " Ho ! ha ! does anybody want the shoe- 

 black?" Then the first bird will speak in Hindos- 

 tanee, and the other will say, " Hey, what ? ha, ha ! " 

 upon which his companion will call out, " Bugler, sound 

 the roll-call," in a voice as clear, natural, and powerful 

 as that of a drill-sergeant. They were brought over 



