2O OUR HOME PETS 



mischievous child, and he is one of the busiest 

 and happiest of captives, though he must be 

 watched closely, or he will destroy books and 

 furniture without end. As a cage bird he is 

 not specially interesting. It is only when free 

 in a room or house that his capabilities have 

 play. 



The bobolink is of a peculiar organization, 

 madly afraid of every human being and no 

 wonder! utterly declining to believe in one's 

 good intentions, and beating himself to death 

 against the wires. I have found him too pain- 

 ful to look at, and impossible to keep in cap- 

 tivity for a week. When a bobolink's confi- 

 dence is won, and he is away from other birds, 

 I have heard of his being a delightful and com- 

 panionable pet, though I never had the pleas- 

 ure of seeing one. I can hardly conceive of 

 this bird as singing in confinement, but I have 

 authentic accounts from a bobolink-lover of at 

 least three who have kept their respective hu- 

 man homes in charming music all the season 

 through. To secure this, weeks and months 

 of care and pains would not be lost, for his 

 song is one of the enchantments of a New 

 England June. 



