THE PET FINCHES. 309 



The next morning when I came near the cage, the bird 

 came as near me as he could, and commenced a pleasant 

 chirping, which evidently meant " Good morning to you." 

 This I returned in tones resembling his as nearly as I could, 

 and it finally ended by my taking the young gentleman into 

 my hand, and feeding him. He took his seeds from my 

 fingers from that time, every morning, for two or three 



weeks. Then we Were to leave C for some time, and I 



sent him back to W , congratulating myself that I was 



yet heart-whole as far as Bobby was concerned. 



In about a month we returned, and we called to see the 

 birds. What was my surprise, when master Bullfinch in- 

 stantly descended from his perch to the corner of the cage 

 nearest to my face, and after the first chirp of greeting, com- 

 menced singing in a sweet undertone, bowing and turning, 

 his feathers lifted, his eye gleaming, and his whole express- 

 ion one of the most profound admiration for little me ! I 

 was quite heartless only shrugging my shoulders and turn- 

 ing away. 



But, I do not know exactly how it came about, in a few 

 weeks I had the Painted Finch and the Bullfinch quite 

 domesticated in my room ; and, although I still said I did 

 not love him, yet I talked a great deal to the bird ; and as 

 the little fellow grew more and more cheerful, and sang 

 louder and often er each day, was getting so handsome, I 

 found plenty of reasons for increasing my attentions to him ; 

 and then, above all things, he seemed to need my presence 

 quite as much as sunshine, for if I went away, if only to my 

 breakfast, he would utter the most piteous and incessant cries 

 until I returned to him ; when, in a breath, his tones were 

 changed, and he sang his most enchanting airs. He made 

 himself most fascinating by his polite adoration : he never 

 considered himself sufficiently well dressed ; he was most de- 

 voted in his efforts to enchain me by his melodies art and 

 nature, both were called to his aid, until finally I could no 

 longer refrain from expressing in no measured terms my 



