DESCRIPTION OF THE AVIARY. 53 



happiness, hopping from branch to branch, or 

 running along the ground, their little throats 

 strain with harmony : the soft cooing of the 

 numerous pigeon . tribe is heard as well as the 

 quacking sounds of the duck tribe, who are not 

 gifted with any other more harmonious notes. 

 It is at this time that we can also observe the 

 querulous disposition of these animals. The 

 males of one and the same kind, or of different 

 species, endeavour to grasp all the supplies for 

 themselves, unmindful of the wants of others, 

 and will not permit their companions to perform 

 their ablutions without molestation, although 

 they may have themselves completed what they 

 required. I often observed the mandarin ducks 

 excite the drakes to attack other males or 

 females of the same species, as well as any other 

 kind of bird (not too powerful) in the aviary, 

 against whom the lady may have taken a dislike 

 from some cause or causes unknown to us : there 

 always appears to be one pair, who exercise a 

 tyranny over the others, not permitting them to 

 wash, eat, or drink, unless at the pleasure of 

 these little aristocrats. 



As the shades of evening close in, the aviary 

 is again in a bustle, the birds setting themselves 

 in their various roosting places for the night, 

 and keeping up a continual chattering, until the 



