112 OUR HOME PETS 



sagacity and understanding are expected. No 

 bird is more influenced by his affections. In 

 the warmth of love and appreciation he ex- 

 pands like a flower in the sunshine, and be- 

 comes almost painfully knowing, while in the 

 atmosphere of coolness or indifference he is 

 reserved and self-contained to carry out the 

 figure as a bud which has never opened. 



A beautiful cockatoo lived in a certain house 

 that I visit. He was not particularly loved ; 

 the child to whom he belonged teased him, 

 and the mother, who took care of the bird, 

 had frequent occasion to reprove him, for he 

 had some disagreeable tricks, such as squawk- 

 ing, scattering his food and water, getting out 

 of the cage and destroying things. As time 

 went on he was given away, where he fell into 

 the hands of a real pet lover, and was at once 

 made a member of the family, and loved and 

 petted. He soon became a different bird, 

 gentle, affectionate, and most amusing. His 

 naughty pranks seemed forgotten, and squawk- 

 ing he left off entirely. 



This susceptibility to varying conditions is 

 so strong an indication of intelligence that 

 even the extreme statement of his lovers in 



