166 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



about the London streets in a cage, and for a penny fee 

 will pull out a small sheet of prophecy concerning one's 

 future. I argue from the " fortunes " told me by Budge- 

 rigars that I stand a good chance of living till 79, but 

 . as the bard once made a mistake, and gave me a lady's 

 fortune, I am harassed by doubts as to their reliability 

 as prophets. Our skilful native bird-trainers could 

 probably do some remarkable things with these birds 

 since they show such docility. 



THE LORIES. 



These are a family of very pretty and active Parrots 

 which live on fruit and the honey and pollen of 

 flowers. To enable them to gather the last article of 

 diet they have rather long tongues with a brush-like 

 tip, with which they lick up their food. They are very 

 swift on the wing, and much more nimble than ordinary 

 Parrots among the boughs. On the ground they hop. 

 instead of waddling like Parrots in general. Their bills 

 are not quite so short and strong as Parrots' bills usually 

 are, but they are nevertheless rather spiteful and mischiev- 

 ous with other birds, although naturally unable to bite 

 so hard. They never have crests, and usually show 

 a great deal of red in their plumage. A peculiar strong 

 smell they have makes them unsuitable as indoor pets, 

 and it is also a disadvantage that they must be fed 

 on soft food, such as milk sop, soft fruit, etc., as like all 

 such birds they are very dirty in a cage. This is a pity, 

 as they are most tame and pettable birds, showing their 

 affection more like a puppy than a bird, by tumbling 



