102 HABITS IS CAPTIVITY. 



on the floor or behind boxes and lumber. Out 

 of the twenty-five, only seven were preserved. 

 These, however, soon became tame, and quite at 

 home ; at the same time, they exhibited much 

 difference in temper and disposition ; some were 

 moody and sulky, others very timid, and others 

 gentle and confiding from the first. Mr. Grosse 

 details the mode in which he reconciled them to- 

 their prison, and invited them to take syrup a 

 mode in many cases requiring the exercise of 

 much watchfulness, patience, and gentleness, 

 especially with moody or timid birds, which are 

 induced, not without difficulty, to perch and 

 drink. 



As soo a as a bird became accustomed to the 

 room, far liliarized to drink at the syrup cup, and 

 voluntarily sought its perch, it was considered to 

 be domesticated if endurance of confinement 

 can be called domestication. The prisoner, how- 

 ever, made the best of circumstances ; its time 

 was passed in incessant short flights about the 

 room, alternating with momentary rests on the 

 line, sometimes two were seen to dart on the 

 wing towards each other, as if in playful hostility. 

 The chief object of these incessant sallies on the 

 wing, was evidently the capture of insects ; some- 

 times the capture of the insect was discernible, 

 but in other cases, though the snap of the beak 

 might be heard, the insect taken was too minute 

 to be distinguishable by the naked eye ; the de- 

 terminate action of the bird demonstrated the 



