NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Mutcrnul affection. 



after one of their offspring was emancipated. In 

 a few minutes both parents arrived, loaded, as 

 usual, with food. They no sooner perceived that 

 one of their children had escaped from prison, 

 than they fluttered about, and made a thousand 

 noisy demonstrate us of joy both with their wings 

 and their voices. These tumultuous expressions 

 of unexpected happiness at last gave place to a 

 more calm and soothing conversation. By their 

 voices and their movements it was evident that 

 they earnestly intreated him to follow them, and 

 to fly from his present dangerous state. He 

 seemed impatient to obey their mandates; but, 

 Ly his gestures, and the feeble sounds he uttered, 

 he plainly expressed that he was afraid to try an 

 exertion he had never before attempted. They, 

 however, incessantly repeated their solicitations ; 

 by flying alternately from the cage to a neigh- 

 bouring chimney-top, they endeavoured to show 

 him how easily the journey was to be accom- 

 plished. He at last committed himself to the 

 air, and. alighted in safety. Upon his arrival 

 another scene of clamorous and active joy was 

 exhibited. Next day I repeated the same expe- 

 riment, by exposing another of the young on the 

 top of the cage. I observed the same conduct 

 with the remainder of the brood, which consisted 

 of four. I need hardly add, that not one either 

 of the parents or children ever afterwards revi- 

 sited the execrated cage." 



This bird is subject to great varieties of plu- 



