HAWK-HEADED P ABBOT. 5 



and down, with widely expanded tail, on his perch, justified in a 

 manner, the infernal epithet. 



Yet this strange bird was left unnoticed by the judge, who thought 

 possibly that it was a made-up creature, the movements of which were 

 regulated by clock-work. Whether or not, "Pinto" will not be sent 

 there again, for he was very much upset by the whole affair, and 

 especially by the rude gaze, and ruder gaze of such an unwonted 

 number of strangers; and for a long time after his return home would 

 not come out of his cage, or allow himself to be touched by anyone. 



As a rule, there is very little use in sending a new bird to a Show, 

 for most of the Judges have long since fallen into a groove, and 

 resent the obtrusion upon their notice of anything to which they are 

 unaccustomed, either by passing it over in contemptuous silence, their 

 favourite method; or by making an award incommensurate with the 

 value and merit of the intruder they find themselves reluctantly com- 

 pelled to mention. 



"Pinto" is very fond of drinking, and always has recourse to his 

 cup after a meal of dry seed, bread, or biscuit; but he does not take 

 much at a time, a couple of mouthfuls or so, and yet at the "Zoo" 

 it is the custom to keep his relations without water, which must be a 

 great privation to them, and have a tendency to shorten their lives; 

 although we are glad to say that since we first noticed the fact in 

 these pages there has been a marked change for the better in this 

 respect in the "Parrot House." 



He also likes to sprinkle himself well over with water occasionally 

 and makes at such times a tremendous fuss, but we have never observed 

 him actually enter the bath: the fact being that in their native land, 

 where the dews are heavy, these birds get wet enough while flying 

 about in the early morning among the trees, to renew the gloss of 

 their plumage; for which reason others wash themselves several times 

 a day in countries, where the dew-fall is not as excessive as it is in 

 tropical and sub-tropical America. 



Fruit forms a considerable proportion of the diet of Brazilian Parrots 

 in their wild state, and should always be supplied to such of these 

 birds as are kept in captivity. "Pinto," for instance, is extremely 

 fond of a piece of apple or pear, of a few grapes or nuts, or even a 

 piece of boiled potatoe or carrot; bnt at the same time another bird, 

 that has not been accustomed to such dainties, must be^cautiously 

 supplied with them, lest be should get a surfeit by over-eating himself. 



When "Pinto'-' flies down on the table during dinner, as he some- 

 times does, he always makes a grab at the meat on the nearest plate, 

 and if he can secure a morsel devours it with gusto; rolling his tongue 



