on a Tame Raven.



183



so resented that he would seldom utter a word until let out again

in the morning.


Grip, I remarked just now, used to cough; but coughing was

not at any time a subject included in his school curriculum. I had

a cough ; and the cough went off, fortunately not taking me off with

it; it was soon forgotten, so thankless are we when health returns

—forgotten by all but Grip. A ring; the lady from next door is

announced:—“What a dreadful cough your husband has ! I wonder

you allow him to go into the garden such weather as this. If my


husband had such a cough, I should-.” My wife opens her


eyes. She had not noticed that her husband had a cough. What

ivant of feeling ! Not worthy of such a husband ! “ But you could


not have heard him coughing now, for he is in the city.’’ “ O-O-O-

Oh, he has been in the garden for the last half-hour, and has been

coughing so dreadfully. Indeed, you really should take more care of

him, or-.” But it was only Grip.


Grip was always a very careful body. Did you offer him by

hand more food than he required for his immediate wants, he would

accept it all—trust him for that—and would stow away in his pouch

what he did not swallow; and it was wonderful what a lot of food

he did manage to stow away in that same pouch. All his super¬

abundant food would be carefully hidden away in one or other of his

many larders, and was ready to hand when required. Thus he was

never in want.


Grip was very fond of water, externally and internally. He

liked it fresh and clean, and would rush to his tub on the appearance

of the water-can, and then what a splashing, and what a wetting

for anyone standing near ! Again and again he would look to you

to re-fill it; and if you emptied the contents of the can over him he

would only give utterance to a good-natured growl.


When Grip was grown up, he was allowed to have too much

of his own way, and he became somewhat troublesome. He used to

delight in flying about the aviary; and the flapping of his mighty

wings would create a panic, and seemed to shake the place to its

very foundations. On these occasions the other birds would scuttle

off, hurry-skurry, to the nearest houses for shelter. A blow from

one of Grip’s wings was beyond a joke. I have myself been partially



