Birds Love-Birds 
HOUSE 
The love-birds should have large cages, giving 
them plenty of chance for exercise. 
FOOD 
Canary seed and millet, and some green food 
should be given. 
A PARROT 
Kept as a pet on the Island of Mull, one of the Hebrides. 
The deep affection of the breast, that Heaven to living things 
imparts, 
Are not exclusively possessed by human hearts. 
A parrot from the Spanish main, full young, and early caged, 
came o’er 
With bright wings, to the bleak domain of Mulla’s shore. 
To spicy groves, where he had won his plumage of resplendent 
hue, 
His native fruits, and skies, and sun, he bade adieu. 
For these he changed the smoke of turf a heathery land and 
misty sky, 
And turned on rocks and raging surf his golden eye. 
But petted, in our climatecold he lived and chattered many a day; 
Until with age, from green and gold his wings grew grey. 
At last when blind and seeming dumb, he scolded, laughed, 
and spoke no more, 
A Spanish stranger chanced to come to Mulla’s shore. 
He hailed the bird in Spanish speech, the bird in Spanish speech 
replied 
Flapped round the cage with joyous screech, dropped down and 
died. 
Thomas Campbell. 
162 
