228 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



long as he could hear our retreating footsteps. He was jealous 

 if we took notice of another bird. A stuffed Canary was carried 

 into the room, and he at once attacked it with rage and 

 fierceness. On one occasion he was alarmed during the night 

 by a very severe thunderstorm, and we could hear him fluttering 

 in the dark. On calling to him he at once settled quietly down, 

 and answered with his usual note. When ill he preferred to 

 perch on our hands or shoulders, and sleep there. 



Our impression is that there is not much affection in Bed- 

 polls, though they are so clever ; but Goldfinches and Linnets 

 certainly prefer one person to another. 



Memory. — I used to have a little food-trolly fixed on the 

 cage ; this was removed for about three months. On fitting it 

 on again, it was pulled up within five minutes by Eedpoll A, 

 though he originally took several days to learn the trick. I may 

 explain that it was our practice to keep a different kind of seed 

 in the trolly from that in the ordinary boxes of the cage, which 

 were always kept full, so it was not the incentive of hunger that 

 quickened his memory. Eedpoll D taught himself this trick 

 from seeing Eedpolls A and B do it. We left the birds under 

 the care of a friend for three months, during our absence in the 

 country. When I went to fetch them home, I found the cage in 

 a large dimly lighted room. On hearing my voice, Eedpolls A 

 and B were greatly excited, and uttered their peculiar "call" 

 many times, and later went through a similar demonstration on 

 seeing my wife. 



When I bought Canary B, we had Eedpolls A, B, C, D. On 

 putting her into the same cage, Eedpolls B, C, D were greatly 

 alarmed, and continued to be frightened of her for several 

 days ; but Eedpoll A, who was familiar with the appearance of 

 Canary A, was not at all disturbed, and promptly attacked 

 Canary B. A whole year had elapsed since Eedpoll A had seen 

 a Canary. 



The mental process of birds is slow ; if called they do not at 

 once respond unless stimulated by hunger, the idea seeming to 

 work for a few seconds before suggesting the action. It requires, 

 for this reason, patience in teaching them ; all actions and 

 movements must be deliberate ; a sudden turn of the head or 

 hand will frighten and destroy for a time the groundwork of all 

 training, confidence. 



