NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Singular attachment. 



of the nature of the gout. It was no longer pos- 

 sible for her to descend and take her food as for- 

 merly; but the male assiduously brought it to 

 her, carrying it in his bill and delivering it into 

 hers. He continued to feed her in this manner, 

 with the utmost vigilance, for four entire months. 

 The infirmities of his mate, however, increased 

 every day ; and at length she became no longer 

 able to sit upon the perch: she remained now 

 crouched at the bottom, and from time to time 

 made a few useless efforts to regain the lower 

 perch ; while the male, who remained close by 

 her, seconded these her feeble attempts with aH 

 his power. Sometimes he seized with his bill 

 the upper part of her wing, to try to draw her 

 up to him ; sometimes he took hold of her bill, 

 and attempted to raise her up, repeating his efforts 

 for that purpose several times. His countenance, 

 his gestures, his continual solicitude every thing, 

 in short, indicated in this affectionate bird an 

 ardent desire to aid the weakness of his compa- 

 nion, and to alleviate her sufferings. But the 

 scene became more interesting when the female 

 was on the point of expiring. Her unfortunate 

 partner went round and round her without ceas- 

 ing; he redoubled his assiduities and his tender 

 cares; he attempted to open her bill, in order to 

 give her some nourishment; his emotion became 

 every instant redoubled ; he went to her and re- 

 turned with the most agitated air, and with the 

 utmost inquietude; at intervals he uttered the 



