38 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 



ways some laggards as well as bold pioneers. I 

 once found one in my house on a very cold morn- 

 ing in the fall. He was probably sleeping on some 

 house-plants that had been brought in from the 

 frost the previous night, and was too benumbed 

 with cold to know it. I caught and fed him, as it 

 would have been barbarous to turn him out in the 

 cold. He soon became a great pet, and was tame 

 as a kitten. 



" One day two gentlemen entered the room 

 where his cage was hanging, both wearing tall 

 hats. He fell immediately to the bottom of the 

 cage, with wings outspread, eyes closed, body rigid, 

 and with every appearance of death. We took 

 him in our hands and warmed him by the fire. 

 He still remained motionless. We decided that 

 those hats had frightened him to death. With a 

 heavy heart I laid him aside, intending to embalm 

 him at my leisure. 



" A few minutes later my friends left the house. 

 Directly after the door closed I heard a humming 

 and buzzing in the room. Looking up, there was 

 my bird circling around the room in the most hila- 

 rious manner. Who can tell whether his apparent 

 death was not counterfeited ? If it was not feigned, 

 why did he revive the moment the door was closed 

 and I was alone ? 



"If you capture one out of doors and hold 

 him in your hand he will practice the same 

 ruse, stretching himself out, stiff and motionless. 



