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Miss R. Aederson,



reconciled, and I let them out together. It is true they seemed

indifferent to each other, and their affection was gone, but still

they lived on quite friendly terms, and never showed any signs

of fighting.


After a long time I turned them out again, not into the

same compartment as “Dick” but in the same aviary. Dick

had quite forgotten his old love, and I hoped all might go

smoothly, but I ought to have known that few parrots either

forget or forgive.


Directly the hen Barnard caught sight of Dick, though she

could not get at him, all her old hatred for her husband returned,

and she at once turned on him again. As I saw poor “Barnie’s”

life would really be in danger, I took the lieu away, and tired of

her persistent bad behaviour I parted with her. “ Barnie ” I

kept for long. He was such a pretty bird, and would take

biscuit from my fingers readily, but he never recovered his

spirits, and always seemed brooding over his wrongs and his

lost love. Not unnaturally he hated “ Dick,” and would con¬

tinually try to fight him through the wires. So great was his

animosity that he even tried to fight my other Masked when it

was put in the same aviary, though the poor bird was entirely

ignorant of the quarrel.


Eventually I parted with “Barnie” too, so the only actor

I have left in this avian tragedy is “ Dick,” who is so light¬

hearted that I think he must have quite forgotten the misery he

caused; but he never troubles about anything, and makes him¬

self so endearing that we have to forgive all his sins.


And now having told you a sad story of life in my bird

village I will tell you of a happier one.


Some years ago I had three little Cactus Conures, “ Ping,”

“Pong,” and “Jock.” They were the merriest little trio im¬

aginable, and would play with each other like children. “Jock ”

was quite an amateur actor, and would make the most dreadful

faces and go through the drollest antics in front of “ Ping” and

“Pong”—the two latter always sitting solemnly before him in

the character of audience. If a larger enemy, notably the wicked

hen Barnard, showed signs of attack the three small birds would

band together, and always succeeded in driving her off. All



