98 THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL. 



that he is stronger, and capable of more extended flights. When 

 let out of his box he performs a curious exercise putting his 

 wings into such rapid motion that they cease to be discernible ; 

 and although he does not rise into the air, yet he becomes so 

 buoyant that his feet retain no hold of the slippery surface of 

 the table, so that he goes sliding about, backwards and forwards, 

 and round and round, in a very ludicrous manner. This comical 

 minuet generally terminates by his incautiously approaching the 

 edge of the table, and disappearing suddenly backwards. 



If you take him up in your hand he always runs up your arm 

 with great swiftness, fanning with his wings till he attains your 

 shoulder or head ; this is in accordance with his instinctive pro- 

 pensity to scramble up every obstacle he meets, and never to rest 

 until he has attained the highest elevation within his reach ; 

 when this is done he rests contented for a short time, and then 

 throws himself off into the air. I have fed this one almost 

 exclusively on cod-liver oil, which it takes off the end of a 

 feather. His ordinary position when at rest is kneeling down, 

 the tail half-expanded, and the wings very much crossed over 

 the back. He generally shuffles about upon his knees, and can- 

 not easily retain his position erect upon his feet without the 

 assistance of his wings. 



I envy you very much the fine engravings that you are pro- 

 curing. I prefer a really good accurate portrait of a bird to the 

 finest mounted specimen, and a collection of the first has such 

 great advantages of portability and durability that I would sooner 

 possess it than a collection of real specimens. However, this is a 

 matter of taste, and depends very much whether one remains in a 



