10 
THE BIRD OF PARADISE. 
cages. There are flocks of parrots, chattering 
among the boughs. No birds love the forest 
more than the parrots do ; and the trees seem 
alive with their gay plumes of blue, and scar- 
let, and emerald green. 
Perhaps you would like to know how the 
parrots spend the day, when they are at home 
in their native woods ; and I will tell you. 
Very early in the morning they rouse them- 
selves from sleep, and begin to chatter and 
scream, and make a great noise. Then, they 
all fly into the sunshine, and, settling on the 
top of a tree, begin to dress their plumage, 
which is rather damp with the dews of night. 
They next look about for their breakfasts ; 
and this is generally the wild cherry, or some 
other fruit. They break the stones with their 
strong bills, and pick out the kernels and eat 
them. Then, they go in quest of clear water 
to bathe in ; and this they seem to enjoy very 
much indeed. They roll over and over, and 
play about, like children, on the edge of the 
pool, and dip their heads and wings into the 
water, so as to scatter it all over their plum- 
age. By this time the sun is getting hot, and 
tliey retire to the deep recesses of the forest, 
