222 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



rufescens), introducing, as it turned out, a most discordant 

 element into the family. This bird, whom I will call Eedpoll A, 

 had a remarkable character. Though a very small bird of his 

 species, he was exceedingly fierce, and yet sometimes an arrant 

 coward, full of tricks and exceedingly knowing ; he neverthe- 

 less was so distrustful that it was over two years before we 

 succeeded in taming him. He would at once attack any 

 strange birds that had been introduced into the cage, though 

 the visitors were perhaps twice his size, and by sheer force of 

 impudence, and the terror produced by his raised plumage and 

 angry appearance, drive them away. He was also excessively 

 sly ; if he had lived in these post-Boer war days he might have 

 been described as exceedingly " slim." When in an aggressive 

 mood, it could be guessed by the twinkle of his small beady eye 

 that he was up to mischief ; he looked up in the air, or over his 

 shoulder, or anywhere except in the direction of the bird he 

 meant to attack, gradually approaching him till within reach of 

 his tail. When he was satisfied that his victim was looking the 

 other way, he would pull his tail sharply, and retire in a quiet 

 unostentatious manner, looking the picture of innocence, while 

 some other and nearer bird came in for the resentment of the 

 injured one. We were convinced that Eedpoll A had a sense 

 of humour, 



Though Eedpoll A was so small, it was curious that in the 

 winter the other Eedpolls gave way to him; but the " General," 

 as we called him, had to succumb to superior force in the spring. 

 After one or two severe fights — real combats, in which the 

 superior size of the other birds told — he had to play second 

 fiddle. I have counted as many as fourteen feathers torn out 

 by one stroke of the beak. 



He soon learnt to draw up a little bucket with his water, and 

 a box with his food, and seemed proud of the accomplishment. 

 Indeed, it is not very difficult to teach them this, the birds soon 

 understanding the apparatus. The bucket is at first kept full of 

 water at the top, then half, and later an inch away, so that it 

 has to be pulled up a little to enable the bird to conveniently 

 drink the water, and finally in the water-tank at the bottom. 

 On the other hand, it was more than two years before we could 

 overcome the repugnance of the " General " for settling on and 



