Rev. H. P. Edge,



ioS



was flying about in the drive. The whole of that day was spent in

endeavouring to coax him back, but without avail, and he spent the night

in the trees. Next morning, however, owing to the pangs of hunger, he

allowed himself to be caught, and returned to bis domicile. Shortly after

this a friend of mine came to stay at Turgiss who persuaded me to let both

birds out of the cage, in order that they might exercise in the open. They

disported themselves for some time in the trees near the house and then

betook themselves to some elms in the glebe, keeping up a continual

screeching until nightfall—obdurate to all blandishments. Then bedtime

came, and with it—no end of self-reproaches for mv temerity in granting

them their freedom. About four o’clock next morning, however, I heard

their well known cries in the garden, and to make a long story short, after

the whole strength of the establishment had been enlisted, they were

decoyed into ‘sanctum.’ After this, the} 7 were allowed their liberty once

or twice a week—little difficulty being experienced in securing them in the

evening. At length in June 1S99 they were suffered to roam at their own

sweet will, without being caged at all, until the end of the following

October. They slept sometimes in an apple tree, sometimes in a chestnut,,

but most frequently in one of the elms, and I noticed they never chose

the same tree for two successive nights.


“ During the period of four months’ absolute liberty, they presented

themselves regularly, about 6 o’clock every morning, at a certain window,

where food was always awaiting them. They were fed again at 10.30, in one

of the fir trees, and then finally for the day at 5.30. At first, when uncon¬

ditional liberty was accorded them, they confined their attention to the

garden and the drive ; but, by degrees they cultivated a more extensive

knowledge of their surroundings—flying sometimes for a distance of four

or five miles, but always returning home about 5.30 in the evening.


“At the end of October, 1S99, chiefly because shooting is in full swing

for the following month, they were recaged, and not suffered to roam,

again until the Spring of 1900.


“Their daily habits, at this juncture, are much as follows. They are

fed in their cages, which stand in a coach-house, about 8 o’clock in the

morning. At 10 o’clock they are released. Directly the cage doors are open

they exercise for about 10 minutes—flying very often at a great height in the

air, and at a great speed: then after swooping down, in a graceful manner,,

on to one of the trees, they come to me for half-an-liour’s chat, or indulge-

in a little love making.


“ They have unlimited space at their disposal—twenty acres of glebe,

a large area of arable and grass land, and a noble park in which is some

of the finest timber in England, ‘ and nobody says them nay.’ I have heard

it said that the flight of the Parrot is swifter than that of any other bird.

Having daily opportunities, at this season, of comparing the flight of my



