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AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY 



soft brown, with a vest of whitish buff, with brown markings, light 

 stripes pass over and bsneath my eyes, and my wings show two light 

 wing bars. 



My brother who lives not far away, is clothed now in the same soft 

 brown, but when he dons his spring plumage he will be quite a gay fel- 

 low, with black cap, black and white coat, pure white vest, and a bright 

 rose-colored tie. This, again, will be changed next fall for the dull 

 winter dress, and it is interesting to see the brown feathers gradually 

 replacing the black and white ones. 



Do not think of me as an unhappy captive. No, indeed! I have the 

 freedom of the house a part of each day, and have such delightful rides 

 on my mistress's shoulder or head. At the dinner table I have the post 

 of honor on her hand or shoulder, and enjoy many a choice morsel. I 

 am especially fond of oysters, of peanuts, celery and butter. One day 

 when I was left alone in the dining room a few minutes, I made a row 

 of pretty marks all around the cake of butter with my bill. Then they 

 shut me in my cage, but I did not care; there are nice seeds and play- 

 things in it. I am very fond of a fern that stands on the table, but they 

 will not let me prune it as I wish. 



I like to seize grandma's glasses, I like to eat sunflower seeds from 

 the hands of the children, I like to pull my master's hair and mustache, 

 I like to pull the pins from the cushion, I like to dart across the room 

 and catch a fly for lunch, I like to throw the matches on the floor. Oh! 

 there are many things that I enjoy doing, but better than all else I en- 

 joy music, and sing (in harmony, too,) whenever I hear it. I would 

 tell you more of my good times, but it is time for a nap, and I can only 

 add a little about a trip I took one January morning. The outside door 

 was left open, so I flew out to see what the wide, wide world that I had 

 seen from my window was like. I slipped around the house into some 

 trees a little distance away. Soon I heard them calling, "Peggoty, 

 Peggoty." But I made not a sound, and after a long time they gave 

 up the search. I found the new world I had entered was cold and bleak 

 and after three hours was glad to fly around to the other side of the 

 house, where my mistress sat near a window, 



I flew down onto the sill and cried "peepk, peepk," as loudly as I 

 could several times before I attracted her attention, for she never ex- 

 pected to see me again. She quickly opened the window and I gladly 

 entered, and after a warm red pepper pill, fluffed out my feathers and 

 had a refreshing nap in my own cosy cage. 



Now, little friends, I must sing to you no longer, but next summer, 

 when all the woods are green again, and you hear the Grosbeaks mak- 

 ing melody in the trees, do not forget Peggoty Zamelodia Ludoviciana 

 in her snug home. 



