40 BRITISH BIRDS. 



With a dog kept in a kennel, however, he was always 

 at war : perching on the edge of the pan which con- 

 tained the animal's food, and often preventing him from 

 eating, though he himself took little. 



It was long a matter of wonder why he used to perch 

 on the top of a hand-glass, when the piano-forte was in 

 use, sometimes attempting to rest on the window-sill, 

 and at length coming quite into the room. On one 

 occasion he was brought in, and placed on the edge of 

 the instrument, more for the sake of seeing him ruffle 

 his feathers than from any expectation of giving him 

 pleasure ; when he stood there for a considerable time, 

 evidently in great delight, and it was with some diffi- 

 culty he was removed. After this he frequently perch- 

 ed on the handle of a work-basket, or on the instrument, 

 unhke the pigeons, who, familiar as they were with the 

 family, always marched out of the room when the piano- 

 forte was in use, having evidently no liking to the 

 " concord of sweet sounds." 



