

A TRUE STORY OF A PET BIRD. 941 
himself, after I had taught him by carrying him around 
upon my finger and placing him up close to any fly or gnat 
I found perched upon the wall of the tent. When fully 
grown he passed most of the day sitting upon the top of the 
tents, occasionally darting after a passing insect, or, if the 
weather was particularly warm, perching upon the edge of 
the table, or any suitable place, under the "fly" of the tent, 
in the shade. 
Onee, when starting on horseback up the mountains after 
birds, at about one hundred yards from camp, I was sur- 
prised to hear Chippy coming towards me, playfully twitter- 
ing, when he alighted upon my shoulder and accompanied 
me up the cañon. Occasionally he would leave me to catch a 
butterfly or other insect, upon securing which he immediately 
returned, alighting upon my hat, against which he beat the 
captive until in a condition to be swallowed. Frequently 
9n seeing other birds of his species, he would join them, 
and after sporting with them awhile return to his seat upon 
the pummel of the saddle, my shoulder or hat, his playmates 
following to within a few yards, when they would stop, and 
perching upon a dead branch curiously watch us, wonder- 
ing probably why their little friend was so fearless of me. 
Chippy accompanied me thus some three or four miles from 
camp. Having proceeded as far up the cañon as possible, I 
there tied and unsaddled my horse; the sun being very hot, 
and the bird disposed to be inactive, I placed him in the 
shade of my saddle. I then climbed up the hillside over 
the rocks, until out of sight of my horse, on my way occa- 
sionally shooting a bird, and wandering some distance from 
Where I left Chippy ; but upon my return I found him follow- 
mg after me, having discovered my absence by the report of 
my gun, and started in search of me. We then returned to 
. amp as we had left it. dude 
' pet bird soon began to attract others of his species to 
the camp which became quite familiar. They could not, how- 
ever, persuade Chippy to leave us, he evidently preferring 

