492 A JEALOUS BULLFINCH. 



needles and let them fall, merely for the pleasure of hearing them rattle against the wood. 

 But towards the lady to whom the said needles belonged he had an unappeasable enmity, 

 and so jealous 'was he, that when she was working at the same table, she dared not touch 

 her thread or scissors without looking to see whether Bully were near, for if he could do 

 so he always dashed across the table and pecked her fingers, hissing loudly with anger, 

 and all his feathers ruffled up. 



Mrs. Webber gives a very interesting account of a Bullfinch which was in her 

 possession, and which went the way of most pets, and perhaps a happier way than that 

 which would have been travelled in their neglected state. 



" THE loss of our pet, General Bern, was deeply felt. There was a sad vacancy in our 

 house again which we did not soon expect to have filled. However, one morning, while I 



yet wept for General Bern, W caine in with a small cage in his hand, containing an 



English Bullfinch. 



' See !' said he, ' I have brought a fine Bullfinch to cheer you ; he sings very sweetly 

 several German airs, and it will fill Bern's place a little for you.' 



' No, no, I cannot let him stay, no bird can take Bern's place, I do not want another 

 bird to love ; take him away.' 



Poor little Bobby, I found him in the room of a rough fellow who did not care for him, 

 and who gladly exchanged the sullen bird, as he called him, for some trinket. A little 

 girl I saw there told me how sweetly he sang, and I determined to have him at any rate. 

 ' Must I take the poor bird away ? He will be so startled among my clamourers that he 

 will not sing to me.' 



' Well, let the fellow stay, though I assure you I cannot love him.' 



So he hung the birdcage on a nail in my room, and I tried to turn my back upon 

 him. I could not help observing, however, that he seemed to relish the glow of my wood 

 fire and the warmth of the room greatly, and was commencing to dress his feathers, and 

 to jump about in his little cage with quite a cheerful -air. 



I thought him at all events a sensible bird, and determined to give him a larger cage 

 during the day. I then discovered that he had been so unfortunate as to lose three of his 

 toes' perhaps in the struggles he had made when he had been taken prisoner, by means of 

 the deceitful bird-limed twig, so that he was almost incapable of resistance, if one chose 

 to catch him while in the cage, and then he would only crouch in a corner, and with his 

 bright black eye and beseeching chirp pray to be left at peace. 



For a week or more I took but little notice of him, only admiring his irresistible 

 song, for he became so cheerful as to sing to us once or twice during the twenty-four 

 hours. 



One afternoon, however, I caught myself mimicking the droll whistle with which he 

 would break his song, and which had precisely the sound we express by the whew-o-o-o 

 when we make what we know to be some ludicrous mistake. 



He instantly repeated it more slowly. I tried again and again till he seemed satisfied, 

 and commenced the first bar of a strain of German music and then paused. I looked up, 

 ' What, do you mean to teach me your song V 



He repeated the notes, and I essayed to reproduce them ; my effort, however, seemed, 

 to amuse the young master, for he drew out to its fullest extent his whew-o-o-o-o, but 

 instantly commenced the bar again. By this time I had become thoroughly interested, 

 and not liking to be laughed at, made a more successful effort. This time Bob seemed 

 more satisfied, and added a few more notes. When I had achieved these, he repeated all 

 and put me to the test, and so on through his whole song ; every few moments, however, 

 evidently enjoying the fantastic mistakes which I made, and uttering his whistle in the 

 most provokingly sarcastic tone. I was greatly amused, and related the story with great 

 gusto on Mr. Webber's return. 



The next morning when I came near the cage, the bird came as near me as he could 

 and commenced a pleasant .chirping, which evidently meant 'Good morning to you.' 

 This I returned in tones resembling his as nearly as I could, and it finally ended by my 

 taking the young gentleman into my hand and feeding him. He took his seeds from my 



