"TRICKS AND MANNERS 11 OF A CAT-BIRD. 89 



He learned to ask to be uncovered in the 

 morning, in about three days. He would begin 

 his uneasiness quite early, flying back and forth 

 violently in the cage, and at last he would call. 

 I wanted to see if he would learn, so the mo- 

 ment he called I got up and removed the cover 

 which protected him from cold at night. For 

 two or three mornings he did the same, be- 

 came uneasy, flew a while, and then called, 

 when I at once responded. From the third day 

 he called the instant he wanted to be uncov- 

 ered, showing no more restlessness, and calling 

 again and again if I did not move at once, at 

 last giving his most harsh cry, and impatiently 

 scolding with rage. 



To beg for worms was an easy lesson. Hav- 

 ing two or three times received them from a 

 pair of tweezers on my desk, he came regularly ; 

 perched on the books ; looked at me, and at 

 the cup which had held the worms ; then, if I 

 did not get them, opened and closed his bill, 

 and jerked his tail impatiently. 



His great delight is to secure a rubber band, 

 of which I keep two sizes, one hardly larger 

 than a thread, and the other an eighth of 

 an inch wide and two inches long doubled. 

 These he is wild to get ; and since he treats 

 them as he does worms, I conclude that their 

 softness and elasticity are deceptive, and a mys- 



