130 BRITISH BIRDS. 



intelligible signs, made it understood that he was trou- 

 bled by her absence. In the course of the day, though 

 he had hitherto been confined to the sitting-room, and 

 was not supposed to have further knowledge of the 

 house, he actually made his way up stairs, discovered 

 her chamber, and tapped at the door with his beak. 



On its being opened, he flew to the bed, fluttered 

 about in apparent exultation, perched upon her head, and 

 exhibited his joy in her presence by every means in his 

 power. He remained in the chamber during the day, 

 and, what is more extraordinary, at night, instead of 

 returning to its mate, or even selecting a perch for his 

 accommodation, actually nestled himself upon the pillow 

 to rest, close beside his beloved mistress. This bird 

 was a poor singer — in fact, no singer at all. It had 

 been brought up by a stocking-maker of Nottingham, 

 and constantly hearing the poor man at work, had learn- 

 ed the disagreeable jarring sound of the machine, which 

 it imitated most accurately. 



The gentleman who afterwards possessed the bird, 

 disliking its unpleasant note, began to teach it to sing ; 

 but, in the first place, it was requisite to break it of 

 what it had already learned — a task with which many a 

 teacher of the young is perfectly acquainted : this he 

 did by gently striking it with a knitting-needle, and 



