The Zoologist — December, 1874. 4249 



for the command to ' kiss me, Dick,' was always uuhesitatinglv responded to. 

 Caress his liead, back or wings with the mouth, and he was highly affronted, 

 but a proffered kiss instantly caused him to strain up as high as possible on 

 his toes to comply with the request, which positively appeared to give him 

 delight. I trained him by this means to pay his respects to me, the first 

 thing in the morning, before taking his breakfast. The cage-door was 

 opened for him when he was still asleep, I meanwhile retreating out of 

 sight into Bedfordshire. "When I called him, a very drowsy chirrup was 

 the first response, followed by a flight to my pillow, a caress and short 

 speech on his part, and then a return home, to fortify himself by an attack 

 on the seed and water supplies. And at night again it was the same thing ; 

 he would perch on his door, sing a small, happy song, crane up and place 

 his beak between my lips, then go back, put ' his head under his wing, 

 poor thing,' and off to the ' land of Nod,' without further notice. He 

 understood as well as possible when he was naughty ; for instance, on the 

 mantel-piece stood a valuable fossil, which Dick delighted in pecking at, 

 perfectly knowing he was forbidden to touch it, under any pretence ; he 

 would stealthily creep to it, and when driven off, away he hopped, vehe- 

 mently j)rotesting be meant no harm ; then your attention becoming 

 diverted from him by other matters, he would bide his time, return to his 

 prohibited plaything, and triumphantly attract your notice to his work of 

 destruction by shrill calls of defiance. He always uttered this peculiar and 

 unmistakable cry whenever he did anything naughty, never otherwise, as if 

 he appeared to be aware he had no right thus to misbehave himself. It 

 was a remarkable sound, and persuaded those who knew him best that 

 instinct, in him at least, was seemingly very closely allied to reflection or 

 thought, and that he realized the meaning of the words addressed to him. 

 How else did Dick understand he should not peck a fossil when he might a 

 glass vase, or be allowed to dirty his cage and not a book or table?" — 



P. 82. 



Edward Newman. 



OrnWiological Notes from North Devon. 

 By Gervase F. Mathew, Esq., R.N., F.L.S. 



I WAS at Instow, North Devon, between the 9th and 16th of 

 September. During that time tlie weather was very unsettled, 

 boisterous westerly and south-westerly winds accompanied by 

 frequent squalls of heavy rain prevailing, and consequently I was 

 in hopes of finding plenty of migratory birds driven into our river, 

 but was greatly disappointed, as may be seen by the following list. 

 The birds had either not yet commenced their autumnal migrations, 



