172 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [15:5— May, 1919 



jump out of his box he followed us about cawing for food; but 

 it was a long time before he would pick up food for himself, even 

 when we laid it before him. Indeed the nestling habits of fluttering 

 the wings and waiting to have the food dropped into his throat, 

 persisted until he was a year old — long after he was hunting his 

 own living. 



Jimmie's first summer with his foster parents was one of rural 

 contentment. He loved to pick beans and peas or puncture an 

 occasional tomato or sit affectionately upon his master's foot while 

 he hoed. If Jimmie was a nuisance in the garden he was funny 

 enough to keep us good natured. One day in the garden we over- 

 turned an ant's nest; the tiny red creatures scurried about franti- 

 cally carrying their white pupae to safety. The effect of this on 

 Jimmie was most curious for he seemed to be thrown into a sort of 

 delirium by the seething mass. He rushed into the thickest part 

 ruffling out his feathers and rubbing his head into them. The 

 ants were fast penetrating his plimiage and apparently biting him 

 but, although he was obviously annoyed by it, he continued to rush 

 back at the ants whenever we forced him away. Finally we had 

 to lock him up to recover and rid his fretted body of ants. This he 

 did by drawing his feathers through his bill but he never ate the 

 ants. Smoke at first had a very similar effect on him and when- 

 ever we burned anything in the yard we had to stand guard to 

 keep Jimmie from rushing into the fire. Lately, however, he 

 seems to have learned to be afraid of fire, and keeps away. 



If Jimmie was fascinated by the garden he was also very partial 

 to the kitchen where he stood a fair chance of getting into the 

 butter or some other delicacy. One day he jumped into a pan of 

 hot fudge and for a week after was busy picking fudge off his legs 

 and breast-feathers. Often we heard unaccountable sounds in 

 various parts of the house and upon investigation foimd Jimmie 

 pompously helping himself from dressing table or sewing basket. 

 Pulling hair pins and toying with rings and bracelets was particular 

 sport to Jimmie and while harmless enough with the family, it was 

 apt to be troublesome, for out one day while a friend was amusing 

 him with her gold bracelet he deftly snatched it from her and 

 carried it into the top of a tree. 



But this perfect happiness was fated soon to end. Jim's master 

 and mistress with complete lack of regard for Jim's feelings in the 

 matter, took unto themselves a dog — a noisy, clumsy puppy whom 



