310 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIEDS. 



admiration. He was then satisfied not to cease his atten- 

 tions, but, to take a step further, he presented me with a 

 straw, and even with increased appearance of adulation. 



From that time he claimed me wholly, no one else could 

 approach the cage ; he would fight most desperately if any 

 one dared, and if they laid a finger on me, his fury was un- 

 bounded ; he would dash himself against the bars of his 

 cage and bite the wires, as if he would obtain his iiberty at 

 all hazards, and thus be enabled to punish the offender. 



If I went away now, he would first mourn, then endeavor 

 to win me back by sweet songs. In the morning I was 

 awakened by his cries, and if I but moved my hand, his 

 moans were changed to glad greetings. If I sat too quietly 

 at my drawing, he would become weary, seemingly, and call 

 me to him ; if I would not come, he would say in gentle 

 tone, " Come-e-here ! come-e-here 1" so distinctly, that all 

 my friends recognized the meaning of the accents at once, 

 and then he would sing to me. All the day he would watch 

 me, if I was cheerful, he sang and was so gay ! If I was 

 sad, he would sit by the hour watching every movement, and 

 if I arose from my seat, I was called " Come-e-here," and 

 whenever he could manage it, if the wind blew my hair 

 within his cage, he would cut it off, calling me to help him, 

 as if he thought I had no right to wear anything else than 

 feathers ; and if I would have hair, it was only suitable for 

 nest-building ! If I let him fly about the room with the 

 Painted Finch, he would follow so close in my footsteps that 

 I was in constant terror that he would be stepped on, or be 

 lost, in following me from the room. At last he came to the 

 conclusion that I could not build a nest. I never seemed to 

 understand what to do with the nice materials he gave me, 

 and when I offered to return them, he threw his body to one 

 side ' and looked at me so drolly from one eye, that I was 

 quite abashed. From that time he seemed to think I mv-st 

 be a very young creature, and most assiduously fed me at 

 stated periods during the day, throwing up from his own 



