on my pet Toucan.



123



his head thru the bars. The price was ascertained, and somebody

nearly died right there, and it wasn’t the bird; but yet I knew

he would be mine, and he was nest day. As it was a new

importation, the bird remained in this store for seasoning, and I

used to play with him until one time the inspector, witnessing the

exhibition and the crowd which had gathered, voiced his objections

to a stranger playing with the firm’s property. Explanations were

made and apologies accepted. The “ Gentleman ” changed his

boarding house right there and then. The name was given by the

butler, who marvelled at the variety and expense of his menu. One

day he bit me, and made a wonderful job of it, as the nail of the

first finger soon came off, and I had some sore hand with a nasty

saw cut across it. Petting ceased, and remained so for some months.

He had my goat, and I was afraid to touch him.


A white Java Sparrow sharing his room, 18 x 12 x 8, is not

molested, and, tho’ finger-tame and petted, the “ Gentleman ” is

apparently not jealous. Not so with a Troupial in a rather large

brass cage. The door was one day left open, and Troupial was

rescued minus his scalp feathers, and considerably mussed and hurt

in the leg.


He dislikes the butler, and I believe the reason follows.

Eating lunch one day of Hamburger steak, bread and butter, apple

from pie, etc., we were longer than the others, and the table was

cleared all except the water glasses. When the first of these started

to go so did the “ Gentleman,” and he got what he went after, the

butler’s hand, gripping and shaking it like a dog. The water

remained and the butler departed, whereupon his highness took

sundry and copious drafts, just as any regular bird should do

with his meals ! This is the only way I can account for the dislike,

as formerly the butler stood in better than I did.


These dark nights, upon return home, I hold my hand under

the electric light, which I turn on in the hall, and call the boy. Out

he comes and lights on the wing for a worm or grape and a talk.

The bird show is the “ Gentleman’s ” delight. Everyone pats him,

and the more the better. But home the day after, not the usual

(if any) attention, and then let anyone go near him ! Some savage !

and is for a week or more.



