64 CRUSOE'S ISLAND. 



patois^ to the effect tliat he thought her a prig, and 

 one who didn't know how to have a good time. 



At the close of one long spring day, after having 

 been absent from early morning, Psittacus came fly- 

 ing back to camp with another parrot in his company, 

 evidently a female, whom he had chosen as his mate. 

 They circled around the bay a few times, probably in 

 order to allow me to get acquainted, aqd then both 

 alighted on the palm nearest my door. 



The new bird remained in the palm while Psit- 

 tacus made for me, with his most rakish and swash- 

 buckler air, and tried to engage my attention. To 

 tease him a bit I pretended not to be aware of the 

 presence of his charmer in the tree, and busied myself 

 about my birds. This was resented, as I knew it would 

 be, and he gave me a tweak of the ear that drew blood. 

 I then looked around and gazed into the tree, at which 

 he flew back and took up a position by her side, where 

 he sat billing and cooing, after the most approved 

 fashion. 



I placed a double allowance of his favorite food at 

 his end of the table and did the best I could to signify 

 to them that both were welcome, and after some urg- 

 ing on his part his sweetheart joined us. She was at 

 first coy and rather suspicious of me, but behaved well, 

 and made herself very agreeable. As for Psittacus, 

 he could not eat from great delight, and alternately 

 bobbed his head from her to me, all the time. I knew 

 from his actions that this could not be his old mate, 

 for they did not behave like a couple long married, 

 but more like the newlv wed. I taxed Psittacus with 



