A TENDER PAIR. 101 



did not know what to" do next, hesitated sev- 

 eral minutes, when a bright thought seemed to 

 strike him, and he carried it to the nest. 



The pair in my room were a most affectionate 

 and gentle couple ; no disputes, not even the 

 smallest difference, arose between them. If 

 one wished to bathe while the other was using 

 the bath-tub, he stood on the edge till his turn 

 came. In the same way one usually waited for 

 the other to finish a lunch before going down 

 himself, though on rare occasions they descended 

 together for a social meal. If she were alarmed, 

 and went to the floor, as at first sometimes hap- 

 pened, he at once appeared in the door, looking 

 anxiously after her, and calling tenderly. If 

 she did not return, he flew down himself, ran 

 about till he found her, and, after talking in a 

 low tone for some time, started for home, when 

 she followed him, showing that she was reas- 

 sured. They always sat on the same perch, 

 and on cool days as near each other as possible, 

 first one and then the other " hitching " a little 

 nearer. After bathing they sunned themselves 

 together, even when in the cage, where the sun- 

 shine came only into one corner, and they 

 crowded so closely that there was not room to 

 spread out. Even that discomfort never elicited 

 a harsh word, though he enjoyed spreading 

 himself very completely, bending his legs, rest- 



