254 
THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 
of the room ; still one did not move^ and when I 
came to examine it, found it to be a stuffed bird. 
Upon questioning the man, he said that, notwith- 
standing all his care, one had died about a month 
before his arrival in England, and his master having 
given him such strict injunctions to deliver both the 
birds to me, the one having died, he had stuffed the 
skin ; (and he must have been au fait at it, as it was 
so exceedingly well done.) Upon my asking how he 
came to leave it in the cage with the live bird, he said 
the latter seemed to grieve so much after its com- 
panion, that he thought it would have died also ; 
that some person on board advised him to place the 
stuffed bird into the cage, which he accordingly did, 
whereupon the live one hopped and frisked about, 
shewing every symptom of extreme delight at the 
return of his friend ; but, finding that he did not eat, 
would carry the food up in his bill, place it on the 
perch beside him, and, by the most coaxing man- 
oeuvres, invite him to partake of it, and at night, 
always roosted close beside him. The man added, 
that finding the live bird daily grow better, he had 
left the stuffed one in, but was aff eared to tell me, 
lest I might think he had neglected his charge. 
