68 FEATHERED FRIENDS. 



away to each other as if they really felt exceedingly 

 happy and comfortable. When one of the party flies 

 to a particular spot all the rest follow, emitting a loud 

 twittering chirp as they take wing, and when they 

 have settled down a great bobbing of tails take place 

 amid renewed chattering that appears to be a mutual 

 congratulation upon the successful carrying out of their 

 purpose, and then one of them stands up and sings 

 a song, to which all the rest listen with profound 

 attention . 



They are very fond of hunting about in the grass, 

 although what the object or objects they search for 

 can be I do not know, for I have never noticed that 

 they ate any of it, nor have I ever been able to detect 

 them in catching insects of any kind. They are patterns 

 of frugality and will live and thrive for years on a diet 

 of millet and canary-seed. Paddy rice, that is rice in 

 its husk they are supposed to be very fond of, but I 

 cannot say that I have remarked any partiality for it 

 on their part, at least in a dry state, but if it has been 

 soaked till soft they will then partake of it greedily; 

 but the rice of commerce they absolutely ignore at 

 least all the Javas I have kept did, whether they 

 belonged to the White or to the common Grey type. 



At one time the price of these birds was rather high, 

 namely from thirty to forty or fifty shillings a pair, 

 but now they can be bought for somewhere about 

 fifteen shillings the couple, and some, slightly marked 



