84 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



armed with its sharp little talons, and it required skillful action on the 

 part of the manipulator of the dummy to avoid a catastrophe. 



Pidgy's wounded wing healed rapidly and every day he raised and 

 lowered it for exercise and that it might set properly. In about a month 

 it was as gqod as ever. We now found that he possessed much ability 

 at weaving, or rather unweaving, for at least once a day he succeeded 

 in untying the knot that held him. These escapes were always herald- 

 ed by a peculiar rapidly uttered whistle as though he were laughing at 

 his success. After a diligent search we would generally find him per- 

 ched motionless in some exposed position. At first the sight of a tempt- 

 ing morsel was sufficient to cause him to hasten to get it, but as soon as 

 he found that it was but a lure he tried to keep out of reach, and it be- 

 came necessary to resort to a buttefly net to bring him back to earth. 

 This undignified termination of his escapades humiliated and likewise 

 angered him and he always tried to bite the fingers of his captor. 



A Portrait. 



