©ESCRimON' m Tim AVIARY. 53 



happini's^, hopping from hraiicli to branch, or 

 running along tlie gronnd, their little throats 

 str^n wiih harmony : tlie mm^ # ^ 

 numerous pigeott tribe is hesUd M Wdl m the 



rpuickiiig sounds of the duck tribe, who are not 

 gifted with any other more harmonious notes. 

 It is at this time that we cau also ohserve the 



q^erute dis^ii<m tbe^e^ itoim^- The 

 males of me and t&e same Imd, of fj^tm^t 

 species, eti4liafV!0ur to grasp all the supplies for 

 tliemselves, unmindful of tlie wants of others, 

 and will not permit their companious to perform 

 their ablutions without looieslatioiiy although 

 th^y m&y^ liave thm^d-i^ ^cMStpiiStgd wltat tb^ 

 required, 1 often O^m^ed the mandarin duefa 

 excite t]ie drakes to attack otlier males or 

 females of the same species, as well as any other 

 kind of bird (not too powerlul) in the aviary, 

 against w}t0tti thi^ lady may hA^^ tak^ a dislike 

 from some cause or oaus^ unknown to us : th&m 

 always appears to be one pair, who exercise a 

 tyranny over tlie others, not jjermitting tliem to 

 wash, eat, or drink, unless at the pleasure of 



tbesa IMcr asdstocrals. 

 As tlie shades of evening close in, the aviary 



is again in a liustle, the birds setting theioselves 

 in their vai'ioiis roosting ]>laees for the night, 

 and keeping up a continual chattering, until the 



