PERCHING BIRDS. . 193 



with an accent and tone expressive of sensibility, 

 so that one might almost suppose it understood 

 their meaning. It delights much in being noticed, 

 and expresses its pleasure by strutting about the 

 cage, throwing itself into various attitudes, and 

 singing a short simple air, in the low sweet tone 

 of the uncultivated bird. This is their natural 

 song, which the males may be heard chaunting 

 to their mates during the hatching season. 



Many instances of their attachment are recorded. 

 Buffon says one was known to have escaped from 

 an aviary, and lived at liberty in the woods for a 

 whole year, an4 then, on hearing the voice of its 

 beloved mistress, to have returned to her never 

 more to leave her. Others, when parted from 

 those who reared them, have died of grief. They 

 have excellent memories, and it is stated that a 

 bulnnch which had been thrown down in its 

 cage by some rabble, during an emeute, fell into 

 convulsions ever after at sight of any mean- 

 looking person, and expired in one of these fits, 

 eight months after the accident. 



One of these birds which belonged to a lady was 

 subject to frightful dreams, during which it would fall 

 from its perch, and beat itself against the cage, but 

 no sooner did the voice of its mistress reach it, than, 

 notwithstanding the darkness, it was at once tran- 

 quillized, and remounted the perch to sleep again. 



