TOUR OF INSPECTION. 71 



When fully ready, he began his tour of inspec- 

 tion. First, to see if he really could reach the 

 trees without, through those large, clear open- 

 ings, he tried the windows, each of the three, 

 but gently, not bouncing against them so vio- 

 lently as to fall to the floor, as more impetuous 

 or less intelligent birds invariably do. Having 

 proved each to be impassable, he was satisfied, 

 and never tried again. Next, the ceiling inter- 

 ested him, and he flew all around the room, 

 touching it gently everywhere, to assure him- 

 self of its nature. Convinced thus in a short 

 time that his bounds were only widened, not 

 removed, he went on to investigate closely what 

 he had looked at from a distance ; every bird- 

 cage, inside as well as outside, if the owner hap- 

 pened to be away, every piece of furniture, pic- 

 tures, books, and the pincushion, where he 

 was detained some time trying to carry off the 

 large black heads of shawl-pins. The looking- 

 glass absorbed him most completely on the first 

 day ; he flew against it, he hovered before it, 

 slowly passing from bottom to top, alighted on 

 top and looked over behind. I think he never 

 solved that mystery to his own satisfaction, as 

 he did that of the window-glass, which must 

 have been quite as inexplicable, and it was never 

 without a certain charm for him. He had no 

 trouble in finding his way home : standing on 



