92 MAD FROLICS. 



which distinctly were play. Especially was this 

 true of the habit he imitated from the Mexi- 

 can, tramping across two cages heavily, with 

 as much noise as possible, and then with an ex- 

 travagant jump landing on another cage, where 

 he was received with a scolding, which appar- 

 ently pleased him as much as any part of it. 

 A specially quick flying-run rattled a paper 

 fastened against the wall, which delighted him 

 greatly ; and when the cages were covered with 

 paper, to put an end to the proceeding which 

 annoyed the residents, he regarded it as a par- 

 ticular attention, and enjoyed it more than ever, 

 doubtless because it enabled him to make a 

 louder noise. Often he diverted himself by a 

 mad frolic in his cage ; from place to place he 

 went half flying, and scarcely touching anything ; 

 back and forth, with great flutter of wings and 

 great noise ; up and down, under and over and 

 around his perches, in the same wild way, so 

 that it seemed as if he must beat his brains out. 

 Then suddenly, when most riotous, he alighted 

 like a feather, the image of serenity and repose. 

 Sometimes he was seized with this sort of fury 

 of play when out of his cage, and then he flung 

 himself about the room in the same frantic 

 manner, scarcely touching a perch, diving under 

 a table, between the rounds of a chair, over a 

 gas-fixture, behind and through any openings he 



