204 THE ART OF TRliSlSG AMMALS. 



"^And do you not show your sense of this civility, sir! ' 

 cried the bird catcher with au angry air. The canary bowed 

 most respectfully, to the delight of the company. 



" His next achievement was that of going through the martial 

 exercise with a straw gun, afrer wliich, ^My poor Bijou,' says 

 the owner, ^ thou hast had hard work and must be a little weary ; 

 a few performances more and thou shalt repose. Bhow the la- 

 dies how to make a curtsey.^ The bird here crossed his taper 

 legs and sank and rose with an ease and grace that woukl have 

 put half the belles to the blush. 



'^ ' That will do, my bird: and now a bow, head and foot cor- 

 responding.^ Here the striplings for ten miles around London 

 might have blushed also. 



" ^ Let us finish with a hornpipe, my brave little fellow j 

 that's it, keep it up, keep it up.' 



"The activity, glee, spirit, and accuracy with which this 

 last order was obeyed, wound up the applause to the highest 

 pitch of admiration. Bijou himself seemed to feel the sacred 

 thirst of fame, and shook his little plumes and carolled an 

 " lo paean " that sounded like the conscious notes of victory." 



A curious trick is performed b}^ a particular kind of pigeon, 

 quite common in India. These birds are called 'Humbling 

 pigeons " from their peculiarity which consists of tumbling on 

 the ground, instead of in the air. When required to tumble they 

 are taken in the hand, and the head slightly rubbed or " fillip- 

 ed" with the finger, and then they are put on the ground, 

 when they continue to tumble until taken up. They are not 

 left on the ground until their tumblings are completed, being in- 

 variably taken up after they have tumbled about a dozen times ; 

 probably they would injure or exhaust themselves, if left longer. 

 The pigeons are always white, and though their wings are long 

 and pointed, they seem to have small powers of flight. 



