My Li (lie 0 11-/5. 
245 
when handled, made no attempt at rrtaliation or self-defence. 
Her taminj;', however, was a long and difhcult matter. This 
was, I think, larj^cly duf to the iirokfii uinj^ which set at a 
very awkward angle owing to the fact tliat she would never 
allow a bandage to -hold it in its proper place. Consequently 
it was always getting in her way and tri])ping her up, and 
once over on her back she was helpless, especially on a smooth 
surface. In her terror at being unable to get away she would 
grip the wing convulsively in her claws, driving them in so 
deeply as to cause considerable bleeding. For many weeks 
my efforts to tame her were unavailing and even when hun- 
gry she would never touch food until she was certain I had 
left the room. One morning, however, she fell over on her 
back in a sudden panic and tore her wing so badly that I 
was obliged to bathe it with warm water. This process, 
which one would have imagined would have been both painful 
and alarming, for some strange reason reassured her, and, on 
being put back into the cage, she took several mealworms from 
my hand and swallowed them eagerly. After that we got on 
better, but the broken wing continued to be such a source of 
pain and annoyance that I ultimately decided to have it com- 
pletely amputated. The operation, which was performed by a 
skilful veterinary surgeon, was most successful and apparently 
caused little pain. It greatly assisted Kirrie in the freedom of 
her movements, and when she grew tamer she sometimes played 
with the carpet in a rather subdued way. 
Kirrie lived for nearly six years. She was a gentle 
little thing with a considerable amount of intelligence, and I 
grew very fond of her. But, of course, she was always a 
cripple, and like Mrs. Peeps she never got tame enough to 
enjoy being petted and stroked. She very soon learned to 
return to her cage when told, and even if I were in bed I had 
only to say "Kirrie, go in," and she would trot obediently 
home without my having so much as to raise my head from 
the pillow. 
In spite of her nervousness she was often quite ready to 
come and sit on my knee and talk to me until I could almost 
imagine I had Peeps back again. When she wanted food 
she would remind me by nibbling my linger with gradually 
